Broken Pieces
by fluoroid
Summary: A continuing compilation of short, stand alone stories revolving around the drama involved between Adrien (or Chat) and Gabriel. Where Gabriel is Hawkmoth. Many reveals, many physical and emotional injuries. WARNING: Frequent injury, occasional major character deaths. Updates sporadically.
1. Too Little, Too Late

**_Chapter 1: Too Little, Too Late_**

 _Chat encounters Hawkmoth, and Hawkmoth learns more than he ever bargained for._

* * *

He wasn't entirely certain how he managed it. By all accounts, they had taken care of the problem. Or so he thought. It had been a day like any other... At least like any other day within the last year or so, anyway. Akuma attacks were regular occurrences, predictable and regular as clock-work. So at least Hawkmoth's efforts were predictable in that sense. What wasn't predictable was the nature of motivation the mad man necessarily exposed or rather employed, with each new pawn. Fortunately, that unpredictability kept things interesting as it kept Chat Noir and his lady on their toes- day in and day out. But the lack of monotony came at a price.

Day in and day out, predictably _unpredictable_ became taxing. Trying to keep up with school let alone extra curricular engagements was no picnic, and this didn't include the extensive list of photo shoots he was scheduled for with the upcoming new summer line. Adrien Agreste was up to his ears in responsibilities. In addition, recently, the akuma attacks were taking longer to resolve, creeping into the evening or sometimes into the early night. It ate into additional study- or _cram_ time as it were, steadily chipping away at what little time for sleep he had allotted himself. He was tired, and he could only assume Ladybug was experiencing something of a similar nature, since her schedule appeared to echo his.

To further complicate the matter, the akuma attacks also seemed to be consistently more violent with each new entry. Hawkmoth must have determined the halfhearted villains he created were insufficient for the job. In order to secure acquisition of their Miraculouses he'd have to bring Ladybug and Chat to their knees. Literally. And that's just what was happening. The combination of increasing fatigue and the amassing pressure of each attack was starting to reflect in their performance, at least Chat's anyway. He couldn't speak for his lady, but he was confident he had never been quite this clumsy or quite this unlucky.

Somehow, they were still fighting the problem.

Chat's face skidded to a halt along the concrete. He looked up to see a brick wall a couple of inches from him. It appeared he wasn't as unlucky as he could be. He shrugged internally, wiping haphazardly at his shredded chin as he leapt to his feet again and whipped his baton to the side. He shot a glare at one of the many copies of Split Personality. Chat was out of jokes. He just wanted to go home and sleep.

Unlike Timebreaker from months ago, Split Personality multiplied more regularly and free of charging up in order to duplicate. The man replicated himself every fifteen minutes or so, like an amoeba undergoing mitosis. A physically perfect copy resulted and doubled his number with each split but the personalities of each individual seemed to vary. He was probably up to sixteen replicas already, if the pattern held true, but Chat could only see eight. The others were probably after Ladybug. They had been separated over what felt like ages ago, and their efforts to rid themselves of their assailants and had only driven further apart. He needed to get back to the roofs to find Ladybug.

The duplicates circled where he stood, closing in at each side. The closest to Chat's right flicked a switchblade open and lunged toward him. Chat extended his baton at the ground, rocketing himself from the midst of them. He vaulted himself from the end of his pole, flipping himself to the eave of the building only to stumble over his own foot upon landing. Retracting the baton, he ignored the akuma minions scrambling up the building at him and darted to the top of the nearest chimney. His ears perked up to the sight of a figure, no doubt his lady, zigzagging about against the dark horizon.

"Perfect."

Chat grinned as he felt a new wave of energy surge within him. She made everything better. With Ladybug, he could do anything- even defy the sleep deprivation that threatened to take him down at every movement. He sprang to action, sprinting off toward her, leaping with a renewed gusto up and over the alley to the next building. Only, he didn't quite make it. Mid jump, something caught him from behind latching onto his belt tail, steering him off course. His claws dug into the edge of the building, grabbing desperately in an effort to pull himself up. The weight on his tail determined another course of action, however, swinging into the wall and bouncing off, the weight jerked Chat from the wall in its ricochet. The boy let out a terrified yelp as his claws broke from the brick surface, sending him hurtling toward the pavement two stories below.

The duplicate clinging to his tail released him in time to grab the arm of another clone and pull himself to safely. Chat's back knocked into a protruding ledge before he folded over a railing of an emergency stairwell at the waist like a human towel, the momentum then bounced him back over the rail to resume his downward trajectory. Fortunately, he managed to grip the edge of the metal platform for just long enough to reposition his baton. Extending it horizontally between the two buildings, he managed to stop his fall a few feet from the ground.

He dropped to the ground only to be met with a kick aimed for his head. After blocking it, he returned in kind, kicking his oppressor in the gut managing to hit the man backward into another copy. Another replica came from behind, but Chat was too quick. He gabbed onto his baton which remained between the two walls, flipping himself over the man who lunged at him. After missing his intended target, the man stumbled forward and contacted the baton with the bridge of his nose, causing his vision to black out. The man fell in a heap with a gurgled groan. Chat landed a pace from where the man lay, allowing himself a victorious 'heh' in light of his momentary success. His laugh was interrupted by a pained grunt after he landed, however, and he involuntarily doubled into himself. His abdomen throbbed with a dull ache reminding him of his fall from just moments ago. He staggered backward against the side of the building to get a better view of both sides of the alley. Duplicates approached him from both sides, but this time his baton was still lodged in the brick and now rested a couple of meters from where he now stood.

"Fine. Let's play this game," he growled, clenching his fist. He straightened up, raising his right hand above his head. "Catacl-"

A kick hit him the gut, stopping his call short. He doubled over with a hacking cough as pain seared across his ribs. Another kick sent him sprawling before he could respond, followed by a series of subsequent strikes that rained down on him. He protected his head with his forearms, rolling to the side as he saw them coming, but he was sorely outnumbered. The bumps and bruises were rapidly multiplying, and while he was still managing to mostly protect his head, his fatigue was catching up to him and his vision was tiring. That's when he saw the knife-happy copy out of the corner of his eye, driving the blade downward. Chat pulled his lower half away at the last second, resulting in a laceration to the side of his thigh rather than his gut.

Gritting his teeth, he thrashed about more desperately. A couple of successfully connected punches to a couple of faces, and Chat managed to scramble out of the mob for a brief moment. A shriek rang out behind him causing him to whirl around, only to find himself at the pointy edge of the switchblade a third time. The knife point embedded itself in Chat's shoulder eliciting a gasp from the hero, before it was torn out only to be thrust again. Chat managed to grab his baton, striking the hand holding the blade just as it met its mark. The knife glanced down his side, shallowly penetrating his lower ribs. Chat hissed as he extended his baton into the man's face, launching him into the air beyond the other copies. The leather clad boy, scrambled backward, panting as he blinked heavily. If he was going to survive, it would take a miracle. At this rate, he wouldn't last much longer.

As if his thoughts were heard, Chat looked up to see a bright wave flash across the sky. The men all startled, turning their attention upward. Chat Noir watched slack jawed as men disappeared one by one from in front of him.

"The Miraculous Cleanse!" he exclaimed.

Chat grunted again, as he turned over to push himself up.

"Too bad it doesn't rid us of all injuries..." he mumbled, looking himself over, blood decorating the newly acquired holes in his suit.

He extended his baton enough to raise himself to his feet and rested himself against a wall to catch his breath. The ground came in and out of focus as he attempted to blink the weariness away. Ladybug would surely come looking for him after her kwami recharged. Or at least that's what he hoped. But if she was going to find him, he'd need to be either higher or on a main road. He looked down either direction to determine the quickest course back to a main thoroughfare.

He let out a sigh as he prepared himself physically for the last stretch when a black shape fluttered into his view. It fluttered past his nose and Chat realized it was a butterfly void of light.

"An akuma?" he muttered aloud, peering quizzically at the form. "What is it doing all the way out here?"

His thoughts were cut off when he felt a immense pressure suddenly appear above him. Craning his neck upward, he tensed as a mass of darkness fell upon him. Chat yelled for Ladybug and tried to the leap out of its path, but his voice on the air was silenced immediately by the beating of tiny wings as the mass devoid of light smothered him. He swung madly against the cloud of butterflies to no effect. It was difficult to tell if his eyes were even open. He gasped desperately against the suffocating darkness when his limbs grew exceptionally heavy. The sound of his baton clattering against the ground reached his ears as he descended into the darkness.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Adrien opened his eyes. Or, at least he thought he did. Every direction he turned his head he couldn't see any trace of light. The floor he lay on was smooth, most likely a finished tile floor, but the last thing he could remember was passing out on the street. So he had been moved by someone, somewhere, but surprisingly, he found his limbs hadn't been restrained. He flinched at a burning sensation in his shoulder when he tried to push himself onto his knees. Hissing, he grabbed at the wound in an attempt to soothe the angry reaction when he realized he was still clad in leather. Reaching to his head, he found a set of pointed ears still in place, which meant he was still Chat Noir. But he couldn't see. Had he gone blind? Or perhaps- His senses seemed to be returning, as he heard an irregular hum of thousands of beating wings. Surely, he must still be in the cloud that surrounded him earlier. But then, that would mean-

"How nice of you to rejoin the realm of the conscious, Chat Noir."

Chat bristled at the icily calm voice.

Hawkmoth. But if it was really Hawkmoth, why hadn't he-

"You're probably wondering why I didn't take your Miraculous while I had the chance."

 _'_ Genius. _'_ Chat rolled his eyes but didn't feel quite fresh enough to mouth off with a clever joke about monologues.

"Because," Hawkmoth continued, "you, my dear Chat Noir, will bring me Ladybug's Miraculous before I relieve you of yours."

This time Chat's incredulity escaped verbally in the form of a wet raspberry.

"You don't believe me?" Hawkmoth asked.

"You'd have more luck if if you just took mine and tried to take hers yourself," Chat chided. "As if I'll willingly help you. Isn't that what your akuma are for?"

"Precisely."

"Last I checked, an akuma victim needs a motive. Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have one."

"You know- and I think you'll find this interesting- I've found there are many ways in which to impose one's will on another."

"Enlighten me."

Chat didn't know if Hawkmoth could see him, but his expression remained deadpan all the same.

"Besides," Chat interjected before Hawkmoth could continue, "I've seen enough akuma victims to know how you work. I wouldn't agree to anything."

A thin smile spread over Hawkmoth's lips.

"Let's just see about that, shall we?"

The flutter of beating wings seemed to intensify suddenly. Chat felt the wings brush more frequently against his face. It felt like some of the butterflies were even crawling on him. He wiped at his face, the butterflies flitting away before getting smeared, only to land once again in the same place they had occupied before. It was mildly aggravating, but it was tolerable Chat thought, only to have something bite him on the laceration he had received on his leg earlier. Chat cried out as it felt like something wedging itself into the wound, intensifying the burning sensation. But it didn't stop there. Something else dug at his shoulder, side, chin- wherever there was an artificial opening, it seemed. Digging, burrowing. It was if the akuma were actually entering his flesh.

"G-get out!" the teen shouted, recklessly tearing at the injuries in order to remove the invasion.

But with each attempt to remove them, more butterflies flocked to the sites. Chat swiped more violently, trying to take down more of the insects in a single effort. Clawing over and over, following gnawing bite after bite, Chat could feel the wounds growing larger and deeper with each contact.

Chat's breathing was growing heavy again. His equilibrium was failing as he tipped to one side, falling to the floor again. Not knowing how else to respond, Chat curled in on himself in a sad effort to protect his body from further damage. But the insects followed him like hounds to the scent of blood, they crept in between the gaps, continuing their feast- or whatever was actually happening. It was too dark to tell, and Chat didn't really care. It hurt all the same. He rolled over, laying face down on the floor, only to find himself covered in a slightly sticky, viscous substance. The liquid coated the side of his face and contacted his lips. His eyes went wide with dread as he made the realization. Tentatively, he licked at the corner of his mouth. The bitter, overpowering flavor of iron saturated his taste buds and he gagged.

"It's your choice, boy. If you assist me, the process will be much easier on you. If not, we will continue until you no longer have the will to resist."

Chat's ears perked up in the direction of Hawkmoth's voice. Whether it was desperation, fatigue, his critical state, or a combination of each that honed his senses, Chat did not know. All he knew was he could now hear beyond the beating of wings. He would hear his own labored breath, the occasional pace of Hawkmoth's shoes hitting the floor, Hawkmoth's voice as clear as day. He might not be able to see him, but he was certain he knew in what direction the man stood.

Leaping up on all fours, he dashed at the voice. Blinded by the blackness as he was, he knew he was right on track when the footsteps stuttered backward.

"What do you think y-"

"Cataclysm," Chat bellowed, slashing his right hand up and over his head as he pounced with all his might.

Light opened up in a gap created through the butterflies as the ones in the path of his hand disintegrated. Chat found himself falling atop Hawkmoth, as his cataclysm scraped the surface of of the man's shirt collar, barely missing the man's face. Rather, it knocked a butterfly shaped broach clean off of Hawkmoth's collar, sending it clattering to the floor rather than disintegrating. Chat collapsed on impact, landing to Hawkmoth's side in a bloodied heap. A light covered the man as he transformed from Hawkmoth back to his original state.

"NOOOO!" the man shrieked. "Wretched, meddling, boy. Just what have you done?!"

The man grabbed Chat by the collar, furiously glaring at him as he shook the boy violently. Chat was unresponsive beyond the weak fluttering of his eyelids in an effort to stay awake. Blood dribbled all down his front to his abdomen, down to his leg. A purple, butterfly kwami with a swirl on its forehead timidly hovered over to the man.

"Gabriel, I think he passed out again," Nooroo suggested quietly, trying to reason with the man without angering him further. "He exerted too much energy for his current state. Even his kwami couldn't prevent it from happening."

"The broach," the man shouted, turning his furious attention to the small entity to his side. "He fractured the broach!"

A small beeping noise sounded as Chat's miraculous flashed a couple of times before a yellow-green light enveloped the boy. A black, cat like kwami appeared unconscious next to the boy. Gabriel looked back to the boy, only to find the bloodied face of his son, Adrien.

Gabriel stared at the teen, mouth agape. Nooroo gasped, quickly covering his mouth with his tiny hands before darting behind Gabriel. Gabriel's hands trembled, still gripping Adrien at his shirt. Realizing this, the man quickly, but gently released him back to the ground. His eyes traveled over the entirety of the boy, noting the deep wounds at the holes in his clothing. Bile rose in his throat at his disgust and he turned aside and retched. Briskly wiping his mouth with his sleeve, Gabriel returned to his son's side. His hand shook madly as he tried to gently brush the blood matted hair from Adrien's face.

"No. No, no no nonono. . . What have I done?!"

Gabriel pulled the teen from the ground into his lap, cradling his body against his chest as he rocked erratically back and forth, continuing to mutter the word 'no' as if it were a mantra. A foreign, cool flow of tears carved paths through the heat in the man's face. He hadn't cried since the disappearance. And now he wept again, his body shaking uncontrollably as he held the person most dear to him. The child he had striven to protect. The boy he worked so hard for was now dying and by his hand, no less. How could he have been so foolish? He had completely lost interest in the Miraculous that was now within his grasp. None of that mattered now.

He needed to get help. His _son_ needed help. Gabriel gingerly lifted the boy into his arms, hoisting him off the ground, Adrien's form drooping limply in his grasp. He exited the chamber leaving a troubled Nooroo alone with his thoughts. An alternate route took him to a side entrance at the kitchen as coming from his office at the center of the house would raise too many questions. He staggered into the room, disregarding the blood he tracked across the floor as he half ran, half stumbled through the hallway.

"Nathalie! Nathalie, I need your assistance."

He tried to regain composure and stiffened up as best as he could manage. Nathalie's head jerked up from her paperwork and she quickly left her desk where she met Gabriel in the main entrance. She lost her professional air when her mouth fell open to the sight of her boss and his son drenched in crimson.

"S-sir..." she stammered, not knowing how to respond.

"Adrien! He was attacked by an akuma. I need you to call an ambulance immediately!"

"Yes sir," Nathalie responded, snapping upright. "Right away."

She dashed back to her office dialing furiously on her cell phone as she went. Her voice drifted to the back of Gabriel's mind as he looked down on his son, only to lose his composure once again. He rattled as overwhelming grief and adrenaline surged through him. Pulling the boy closer to him, he wrapped him against his chest as tightly as he felt was allowed, taking care to not cause additional harm to the wounds. Tears cascaded down his cheeks, spattering on Adrien's face, revealing streaks of pale flesh from under the blood that coated him. The man sniffed angrily as he wept, cursing himself for his carelessness and cursing the emergency services for taking so long. Every second felt like a lifetime.

Adrien groaned weakly, blinking blearily at his surroundings. Everything was so out of focus and indistinguishable. A sniffle resonated above his head as something dripped on him. Was someone crying? He squinted in an effort to focus, but it hardly helped. The person above him seemed to notice his movements.

"Adrien?" The voice was regretful, but gentle. "Son... I'm so sorry."

"Fa-ther?" Adrien managed to rasp out. His throat felt so dry.

"Yes, son, I'm here. I'm s-so sorry." He broke down again.

His father was crying. And he- Adrien, was in his arms. The arms of the man who rarely made any physical contact, let alone hugged him. What was he apologizing for? And why, _how_ was Gabriel Agreste of all people, crying? His memory was so foggy, he couldn't quite remember what had transpired, or how he came to rest in his father's arms. He allowed his eyes to drift shut again. His eyelids just felt so heavy.

"Adrien? Adrien!" Gabriel shook him gently, but his voice was desperate. "Son, stay with me!"

Adrien slit his eyes open a crack.

"Father."

Gabriel looked down at him, daring to hope.

"I'm happy you're with me," Adrien breathed out laboriously, a small smile spreading over his lips as he allowed himself to sink further into his father's arms. Whatever happened was okay with him. This was the happiest he'd been in years.

Gabriel's heart shattered.


	2. Backfire

_A/N: With the great reception of the first chapter, I decided to delve into my imagination and see if I could come up with anything else. I came up with a few ideas to start with, but as stand alone shorts instead of an addition to the first chapter. And so continues a compilation of shorts examining the broken father/son relationship between Adrien and Gabriel. Hope you continue to enjoy reading. :)_

 _WARNING: More blood than the last chapter, and a fair bit darker._

* * *

 ** _Chapter 2: Backfire_**

 _Gabriel finds out Adrien is Chat Noir. In order to keep Adrien safe he tries to take the Miraculous._

* * *

It was a last result. That's what he continued to remind himself. He had long suspected the boy to hold the Miraculous. But he confirmed his suspicions the day he was saved from Simon Says. The ring the teen wore everyday on his right hand looked remarkably similar to the ring Chat Noir wore. His own Miraculous changed slightly in appearance when his alter ego was summoned, so why would the Cat Miraculous behave any differently?

He had tried for a month or so to get it by conventional means, searching for it anytime jewelry was typically removed. But the teen had it with him always. The boy slept with it, took it into the bathroom when he showered, didn't bother removing it while swimming... anything and everything. It was _always_ with him, and Gabriel had run out of ideas. There was only so much he could do and still remain inconspicuous. And so he determined, the only way to get it from the boy was to take it by force.

Previous efforts to obtain the Miraculouses hadn't worked, and summoning akumas only put his son at risk, the exact opposite to what he desired. So for the past month, akuma sightings were rare at most. Gabriel played it safe by summoning the most innocent of akuma which were to serve as distractions for Ladybug, but they never lasted long. He wanted to keep Adrien safe, and allowing him to play hero and bound recklessly across the rooftops of Paris was a surefire recipe for injury or death. He had to be stopped, but there was no way the teen would listen to him, let alone reason. So Gabriel hatched his plan. He would find a way to separate the duo, isolate Chat, and scare him so badly he'd willingly release the Miraculous, or shelf it for good. If Adrien was going to stay safe, he needed to retire from the superhero business, once and for all.

Chat Noir was in his grasp now. He had managed to confine him to the observatory and now it was only a matter of convincing him. The only problem was, when Gabriel arrived in the room as Hawkmoth, Chat's expression went immediately from irritated to terrified. The boy frantically pulled against his restraints that bound his wrists to the wall. He hunched against the wall, making himself appear smaller. The cat's pupils were slit with anticipation as his ears folded back, his tail hid behind his legs, beating back and forth in agitation. A low hiss emerged from the back of Chat's throat when Hawkmoth took a step toward him and if he didn't know any better, Gabriel would have thought the child might actually be a feral cat.

"Chat Noir," Hawkmoth began, "we meet at last."

"What are you planning?" Chat growled, still tugging unsuccessfully against the wall. "You haven't taken my Miraculous. What do you want now?"

The voice of reason chimed within Gabriel's thoughts. He was scaring the boy. His son. But that was the point, wasn't it? To put a stop to this dangerous business the boy had fallen into, by who knows what means, thereby restoring the teen's safety and chance for a normal life. But this was excessive. The emotional state of the boy was compromised enough already, what with the disappearance of his mother. Subjecting him to a living nightmare would only scar him further and possibly break him. Couldn't he just express his concerns to him as a normal father would to his son?

No. It was clear the boy was infatuated by the false, enticing life being a hero promised him. It was an addiction, an appetite that would and could not be satiated, not in the life of an attention deprived teenager anyway. Gabriel's stomach dropped at the realization. He did this to Adrien. While he had the best of intentions for his son, he could not deny those intentions and attempt at resolve came at the price of neglect. That neglect had led the boy to seek another form of validation that was eagerly provided to him through the adulation of the citizens of Paris. But he could make it right. All of this could be repaired. Gabriel strengthened his resolve, shoving the voice of concern to the back of his mind. This was the first step on the road to recovery. It would be about as gentle as tearing a bandage from a festering wound, but it was necessary to initiate proper healing.

Hawkmoth leaned into Chat abruptly. The cat immediately pulled away as far as the hold on his arms would allow, but Hawkmoth was still mere inches from his face. Chat slammed his eyes shut, sweat rolling down his face as he attempted to get his breathing under control. If he couldn't see the man, it wouldn't hurt as much... the sentiment was a lie, and Adrien knew it, but he chose to believe it for the moment. Hawkmoth wrapped his hand tightly around the boy's jaw, forcing his head upward to look him in the eyes. Chat whimpered as he cracked his eyes open, looking back into the cold gaze of his captor.

"Heed my warning well," Hawkmoth said. The voice was just above that of a whisper and the breath on his neck sent an involuntary shudder down the length of Chat's spine causing his knees to buckle. "If you _ever_ want to see your friends or family again, you will do as I say.

 _Never_ don the Cat Miraculous _again_."

"Are you out of your mind?" Chat replied incredulously, his fiery personality regaining some momentum.

Without a second thought, Hawkmoth struck the boy's face aside with the head of his cane. The boy yelped. Gabriel froze. He stared blankly past Chat's shoulder. His hand holding the cane quivered at his side as he tried to process his reaction. Chat winced as pain bloomed across his cheek just under the edge of his mask, an angry red swelling at the site of impact pulsed into greater visibility with each moment of silence that further permeated the room.

"Do you think I deal idle threats, boy?" Hawkmoth asked, his voice distinctly darker than previously.

Chat remained tight lipped, staring at the floor, but his folded ears and tucked tail betrayed his fear. Hawkmoth stepped in front of the boy again, the head of his cane thrust under Chat's chin forcing him to face his oppressor again. He wriggled against the pressure of the object, but Hawkmoth shoved it further against his throat, stilling his resistance immediately. This wasn't enough. The boy still wasn't taking this seriously.

"You're not nearly frightened enough, boy. Do you think this is a game?"

A dark vapor slowly rose behind Hawkmoth, forming into a wall of stark black akuma butterflies. The darkness closed in around them, enhancing the glint in the man's eyes. Hawkmoth took a step back and Chat grew increasingly uncomfortable as the butterflies came closer. Their immense presence was stifling and he was finding the thick air difficult to breathe. Hawkmoth watched apathetically as Chat continually shifted in response to the incoming wave of akuma. Alarm filled Chat's eyes as the butterflies washed over him, the depth of the insects surrounded him at the height of his neck like a pile of leaves. Pitch black, demonic leaves that fluttered and seemed to materialize from the unlit areas of the room. The akuma undulated like the ocean, a tide growing deeper and deeper around Chat with each additional insect that entered the mass. Chat struggled to his tip toes, gasping desperately when the butterflies retreated slightly from his face before surging over him again.

"No, h-help!" Chat gasped, thrashing against the mob of insects overtaking him. "Ladybug! Someone!"

The man trembled as he watched the akuma bury Adrien. The teen's clawed fingers extended with anxiety as his arms pulled yet again against his restraints. Gabriel would stop the akuma before it went too far, of course, but the boy was stubborn. Why couldn't he just agree to surrender? The dark wings were well up to the Chat's raised elbows by now, but the teen still fought. Another cry from Adrien broke free of the cover of akuma.

"Mothe-"

He sputtered a cough expelling a mouth full of butterflies before choking in another gasp.

" _Father!_ Somebody, _please!_ "

Gabriel couldn't take anymore. The akuma suddenly fell from Chat, who gasped heavily upon release. The boy dripped with sweat, shaking furiously as his strength caved, the restraints being the only things that kept him from face-planting onto the floor. Gabriel watched in horror as his son convulsed, hyperventilating as he tried frantically to return oxygen to his deprived lungs. Chat's head jerked back and forth with each contortion and gasp, saliva dropping freely from his lips to the tile. Adrien shuddered violently as tears gathered at his eyes, spilling over as he released an uneven, broken sob.

Enough. Gabriel couldn't continue. Not when he knew the rebellious teenager was his son. What good was trying to protect him if he had to break him in order to do so? Gabriel turned to leave, looking regretfully upon the black clad boy one more time. He would free him in the same manner as he had bound him, remotely, after he was no longer within sight.

As soon as he made to leave, however, Gabriel was overtaken.

He _needed_ the Miraculous.

The boy wouldn't give it up, so why shouldn't he take it by force? He was vulnerable now, after all. It was the opportune moment. But he _didn't want_ it. Not at the expense of Adrien. The voice in his head said he did. It was the only way to fix _everything_. Hawkmoth grasped his cane with such force, the polished wood groaned under his fingers. He wheeled back toward the boy who shrank at his approach.

"Stay back!" Chat shouted, his eyes darting around in a frenzy. There had to be _some_ way he could get out. Anyway. _An-y-thing._

Hawkmoth unsheathed a short sword from the body of the cane, pointing it at the boy's chest.

"I _will have_ your Miraculous."

He lunged forward, thrusting the blade at Chat. Hawkmoth yelled again as he burst at the boy.

"NO!" Gabriel shouted as the blade touched the surface of Chat's armor.

He redirected the sword at the last moment, slicing across the surface of the boy's chest down along the side of his rib cage before piercing the wall, breaking part of the surface off. Chat yelled as his flesh split open, exposing his muscles and sinew to the sting of the air. He crumpled as the strength in his arms gave out, leaving him to dangle at the wrists. A fresh series of tears coated his cheeks as the pain radiated across his torso into his neck, causing him to tense with only made it hurt worse. Gabriel quickly retracted the blade as he gaped at the blood spilling from the boy's side. Chat inhaled sharply as the metal brushed back against his skin. Gabriel vomited vehemently.

"No, NO!" Gabriel cried, shaking madly. "I _don't want this!_ I don't want _this!"_

Chat's chest continued to heave. What was Hawkmoth doing? His behavior was overtly strange. Beyond strange, actually. It was downright disturbing. Chat peered at the man cautiously, watching as the man twisted oddly, as if he were fighting against some invisible force. A voice resonated in Hawkmoth's head.

" _I_ _ **gave**_ _you the ability to imbue your akuma with dark energy. Do you really think you could taint the Miraculous with your own power? You have no room to defy me, mortal. I will have that Miraculous."_

Hawkmoth's distorted movements halted once he stood straight. He rapped the point of the blade against the floor, as if testing the flexibility of the blade. Chat watched in terror as the man posed to strike again, almost seemingly against his own will. He buried his head against his shoulder and crammed his eyes shut as he braced for the next strike. Gabriel let out a roar and Chat felt the swipe of the blade fly past his head. The resounding of metal hitting the wall echoed against his ears and the boy felt himself drop to the floor. Hawkmoth had severed the restraints.

Chat dared to look up at the man, who stood unnaturally ridgedly as his sword wielding hand rattled rapidly against the wall.

"Adrien."

The voice was forced.

"Run!"

Hawkmoth knew his identity? But how? Chat's mind whirled at an insane rate as he started to run down a long corridor leading from the observatory. Adrenaline coursed through him, giving Chat the extra boost he needed to ignore the burning sensation he felt across his chest. Whatever drove Hawkmoth was far quicker though as the man was at his heel in moments. Chat flipped instinctively, narrowly avoiding another jab of the sword at his back. He rounded on his opponent, just in time to respond to another swipe. Chat reached for his baton, but Hawkmoth's sword connected with his shoulder just as he attempted to extend it.

The baton slipped from his grasp immediately, clattering as it struck the ground. Chat hissed, jumping from another strike only to find Hawkmoth's foot hitting him in the gut, barreling him back into a wall. The teen rebounded to his feet but caught a jab along the side of his forearm. Hawkmoth's stamina felt infinite. The strikes and jabs continued, Chat narrowing missing them, taking a shallow hit here and there. It was only a matter of time until he would make a serious error of judgment. … It wasn't pessimism, he told himself as he dodged another blow and delivered a kick of his own. Fatigue was a solidly consistent contributor to mistakes and miscalculations. If only he could get back to his baton.

"Adrien!" Hawkmoth called to him again as he lunged with another slash. "Adrien, you have to _stop me_."

"Yeah, right. If you give me an opening, maybe. But- how do you know my name?!"

That's when he took the chance. He panted heavily as he leapt, running along the wall, up and over the man's head. His baton was right ther- The blade jabbed into his side, slicing outward after impact. The slice tore a chunk of flesh from him, causing cat to double over, landing in a clumsy pile a couple of meters from his goal.

"NOO!" Hawkmoth shrieked. "You already have me, just leave him out of this!" he bellowed.

Chat cringed, yelping as he tried to force himself up. His abdomen was on fire, blood flowing freely from the hole in his body as he struggled to get to his knees. Hawkmoth continued to shout in protest at the unseen entity as he strolled causally to where the crippled boy lay. Chat twitched spasmodically as the pain receptors fired repeatedly. He knew he was injured already. He glowered weakly as the reminder only inhibited him further.

"Give me your Miraculous, boy, and I will spare you," Hawkmoth said, his sword pointing at Chat as a promise of what was to come if he was disobeyed. "Don't do it, Adrien!" the other Hawkmoth shouted. "Destroy him. Destroy me!"

Hawkmoth gestured at the broach at his collar. Chat's thoughts swam, directionless. He tried to process Hawkmoth's behavior but quickly recalled his own state before he couldn't decide if there was an actual solution for escape. And Plagg. What about him? Or how, or if, he could use his wild card. He couldn't keep his thoughts straight, as his brain was constantly being bombarded with alerts of the injuries he had sustained. Hawkmoth knew his identity. Hawkmoth _wanted_ Chat to destroy him? Nothing made sense. Maybe the blood loss was causing him to lose his grip on reality. He released a breath as he determined his next move.

"Fine," Chat replied in between labored breaths. "You'll have to. Come. And get it- though. I can't- stand."

"There's a good cat," Hawkmoth replied.

Were it possible to regain control, Gabriel would have run himself through with his own blade. The sight of Chat- Adrien- sprawled on the ground sent a repetitive supply of bile up his throat. His heart felt like it could seize at any moment. How could this be happening? He couldn't stop it. He wanted Chat to destroy him before he had the chance to hurt Adrien any more. He could destroy Hawkmoth, couldn't he? He was a hero, after all and Hawkmoth had well demonstrated his villainy. He wouldn't destroy Gabriel. No matter how many times he had failed him, no matter how many times he had failed to be the father he deserved, Adrien was too forgiving. No. He had to destroy Hawkmoth and with him, his own father. But it was no less than Gabriel deserved.

Chat struggled to roll onto his back. He could feel his heart bang rapidly against his chest as he watched Hawkmoth stalk closer. Hawkmoth bent forward as the teen rose his hand slowly, still wracked with spasms.

He extended his fingers willingly as an offering.

The man's fingers closed around the ring.

"Cataclysm!"

Chat rasped the command as loudly as he could manage. There was no fancy dance preceding it, he simply released the energy contained in his Miraculous. The dark energy flowed into Hawkmoth's hand, surging up his arm and into his torso, resulting in a nasty smelling puff of smoke reminiscent of burnt flesh and wet dirt. The man's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he let out a scream, writhing in agony as he hit the ground.

But not until after the sword's tip had been embedded in Chat's stomach.

Chat screamed.

The man known as Hawkmoth dragged himself across the floor to Chat's side. From his fingers to his shoulder, to the base of his neck to his hairline, the man looked like the victim of a bomb blast. His skin was a blistering, blood oozing, patch of burns. But as Chat watched Hawkmoth from his dazed state, he noticed the man no longer wore the mask. The man had blue eyes, and while it was difficult to tell for certain, mostly due to the charring, his hair appeared a lightly grayed blonde. The man looked so much like- his father.

Chat's stomach churned terribly. He choked on a cough before he could turn his head to the side. Blood dribbled out from his lips, splattering carelessly along the stone flooring as he rattled uncontrollably when shock set in. A gentle touch reached his shoulder. Chat looked up to find the mutilated face of Gabriel Agreste. Chat stared at him, dumbfounded.

"Adrien."

Tears fell down his face as looked at Chat.

"Thank you. For stopping me. I-"

He gasped sharply as he grabbed as his chest, buckling at the waist.

"Father!" Adrien's voice came out in a hoarse gurgle. "Father, why-?"

"I'm- sorry," he grunted.

Gabriel's knuckles were as white as a sheets. He continued to gasp in short bursts, but still struggled to pull himself to Adrien's side.

"I'm. So- _sorry._ I didn't mean. For, thistohappen."

He sucked in another sharp breath before he allowed himself to fall back on the floor. Chat's Miraculous chirped and he de-transformed. Adrien looked back at his father as angry tears ran down his face. He hiccuped, sending his innards into a rage, but he pushed through it and lifted his head to get a better look at his maddening- _father._

"Why didn't you- _tell me?!_ "

Gabriel balked at the sudden anger that appeared in his son's expression.

"I-"

Adrien cut him off.

"I -hic- wouldn't have. I- if you had- if I knew -hic- was you!"

Adrien's head dropped back to the ground as he was overcome with exhaustion. Gabriel's shaky hand reached up to clumsily wipe the tears from the boy's cheek.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't save- you."

"I'm not, going to die..." Adrien responded tiredly as his eyes drifted shut. "So. You had better... not. Either."

"Deal," Gabriel replied knowingly with a small, sad smile, finding his son's hand and clasping it under his.

Adrien squeezed his own hand as acknowledgment of their agreement.

Everything would be just fine. . .

* * *

 _A/N: I don't think every short will trend toward such a dark direction, but I make no promises._


	3. Communication Error

_A/N: Opening inspired by "Simon Says" episode and other portions from the Christmas Special. I've always liked "Simon Says". It develops the relationship of Adrien and Gabriel slightly more, while revealing (or rather, teasing) the audience with potential foreshadow._

* * *

 ** _Chapter 3: Communication Error_**

 _When Adrien gets into another argument with his father, he runs off into the rain. Why is his father always so stubborn?_

* * *

"Head up to your room, now," Gabriel replied, flatly. "You've had enough excitement for one day." As an afterthought he added, "Nathalie, make sure he stays there."

Nathalie nodded as she lead Adrien up the stairs. Gabriel didn't want to argue with an overly dramatic teenager right now. He expelled a quiet sigh as he rubbed the oncoming headache from his temples, returning to his office. The boy could be such a handful. So... stubborn. Why did he have to be so emotional?

Adrien stormed into his room, making sure the door was fully shut before throwing himself back first onto his bed.

"Father's concerned I'm never sure of anything..." He muttered aloud, tossing his arm over his eyes. His eyebrows furrowed together before he slammed his fists down into the blankets.

"Why doesn't my father _ever listen_ to me?"

He flipped over onto his chest, burying his face in a heap of blankets. Plagg flew over his shoulder, hovering over him as the boy suppressed a shudder. Adrien was trying not to cry. This was usually how the arguments ended. Anytime Adrien would initiate a conversation with some type of request involved, Gabriel would tell him it was unreasonable. Adrien would insist and Gabriel would disagree again, or avoid giving him as straight answer as he sent him to his room to cool down, preventing Adrien from bargaining any further. The teen would shut himself in his room where he ultimately released his suppressed mountain of emotions.

His jaunts with Plagg as Chat Noir seemed to help alleviate some of the teen's emotions. While it was a heavy responsibility, Plagg could feel Adrien's excitement and enthusiasm every time he had a reason to transform. With the mask, he could be anyone. Adrien chose to be carefree. Of course, he did what was required of him, but that was part of the fun. It was like living in another reality, or a fictional life. As Chat Noir, he didn't _need_ to pose if he didn't want to. He didn't have to follow a strict schedule, dress or act a certain way; He became his own person, not the one his father and society imposed on him.

His father... His father thought _he_ was stubborn, but if anyone saw their interactions, they'd probably say Gabriel was equally as such, if not more so. He didn't always seem to be _this_ uptight. But ever since Adrien's mother disappeared, the man became withdrawn. He shut himself in his office for a majority of the day, distracting himself with work. And while his mother had always been the more relaxed of the two, Adrien felt he could at least _talk_ to his father and discuss the concerns he had when he was younger. It wasn't like that anymore though... And Adrien felt himself wishing more and more things could be as they had been. But there was no changing the past, he told himself angrily, wiping furiously at the tears that formed. And if his father was going to be a jerk about everything, so be it.

He'd had enough.

"Plagg, transform me," he half growled as he summoned the entity.

After the transformation was complete Chat looked up at the large windows, noting large amounts of water washing down their surfaces. He hadn't even noticed when it started raining. He pushed a window open, extending his baton as he climbed onto the sill. He needed some fresh air. Now. And a little rain wasn't going to stop him. Without a second thought he vaulted himself out of the room, splashing lightly into a puddle as he landed on the cement below. He took off immediately.

He ran and ran, darting over puddles, past groups of umbrellas, ignoring onlookers as he traveled. Once he reached a more densely populated area, he vaulted to the rooftops, leaping from one to the next, not minding the direction he went; just so long as it took him away from that infuriating man, he was content. The rain hadn't let up and continued at a steady rate, making the rooftops slick. He welcomed the added challenge as it further distracted him from his thoughts. It required him to take exceptional care toward his footing and selecting locations for landing.

He had been running for a good ten minutes when he decided to stop for a moment to place his hands on his knees and catch his breath. His hair was drenched. What wasn't dripping directly to the ground formed rivulets of water running from his bangs down his mask and cheeks. Surprisingly, the rest of him was dry. The leather suit was remarkably waterproof, but he didn't feel excessively sweaty either. He had never taken the time to notice before, likely due to the fact that fighting akumas never gave him a moment to sit and ponder things like suit breathe-ability. He chuckled to himself quietly upon making the realization, only to look up and find himself staring back at him.

It caught him a little off guard, causing him to take a step back in alarm. He reached for his baton before he noticed it was just another giant billboard with his image along with designer clothing plastered all over it. His eyes twitched with irritation as he followed the image to the name of his father's company. That's all he was to the man. A marketing strategy. He didn't _really_ care how Adrien was, as long as he was alive and looking perfect. Why else would he be so overprotective but not bother to give him time of day? Rage balled up inside of his fists as he stood in front of the ad. He let out an angry shout as he slammed his hand against the billboard, reducing it to a crumbling pile of ash.

The rain effectively masked his tears as he dropped down the side of an air vent, plopping himself down against it. He threw his head back as he smashed his teeth together. A choking sob escaped him. He pulled his knees into his chest as his body rattled with shivers. His transformation had worn off and the chilly rain was now seeping through his shirts. Plagg made a small noise at his side, drawing Adrien's attention away from his thoughts. He blinked past the rain and tears as he reached for the small kwami, picking him up to carefully place him into his inner pocket with a wedge of Camembert. Once Plagg was safely tucked away, he folded back into himself, resting his chin on his knees as he allowed himself to cry freely again. Was it too much to ask for a parent who actually cared?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hawkmoth walked into his observatory as the aperture covering the window expanded open. It had been a slow day as his mind was heavily preoccupied with his earlier interactions with his son, and he found himself in need of a distraction. Surely, despite the rain, he could find a worthy candidate for a new akuma victim. As he scanned the city, handfuls of individuals stood out to him, some exerting more anger or sorrow than others. An especially intense energy caught his attention, deep in the center of the city. As he honed in on it, he was surprised to find who it belonged to.

"Adrien?"

He muttered the name aloud in confusion, wondering when the boy could have managed to get so far into the city without him having noticed or been informed. Muttering something about incompetence under his breath, the aperture closed and Gabriel found himself briskly returning to his office as he de-transformed, yanking his cell phone from his pocket and hitting speed dial. The ring back toned.

Adrien lifted his head, tiredly blinking as he realized the low rumble he heard was coming from his pocket. He pulled it out to find his father's picture on the screen. Adrien sighed. If he was calling him, then he knew he was no longer in his room, which likely meant the man would be upset. He grimaced as he braced himself for the worst.

". . . Hello father," Adrien answered tentatively.

"Adrien, would you please inform me as to your whereabouts?"

"I'm just taking a walk," he replied frankly, wiping quietly at his nose.

"It's awfully poor weather for walking, wouldn't you agree?"

Adrien didn't reply.

"Son. . ."

Adrien side glanced in the direction of his phone as he waited in anticipation. What did he want? Adrien wouldn't ask him outright, but he knew his father would never call without a purpose. His conversations were always quick and to the point. Why did this one feel like it had already been dragging on for ages?

"Are you upset?" Gabriel asked.

The question took Adrien aback. How was he supposed to answer that? Responses raced through his mind. 'Yes, father, thank you _so much_ for asking. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to end this conversation.' Or perhaps, 'yes. I find you distant and difficult to communicate with. Would you mind speaking with me more in the future so we can avoid these unnecessary, unpleasant discrepancies in our relationship?' Or, 'what tipped you off? Did you finally realize you can be a self-centered jerk who never gives a thought to anyone beyond himself?' Did he want an apology? Had Adrien's unapproved walk inconvenienced him in some way? He blinked furiously as his red eyes were aggravated by another surge of tears.

"I'm- fine," the teen replied, making a concentrated effort to keep his voice level and the emotion undetectable.

If his father was looking for some kind of connection now, he could forget it. He couldn't talk to the man about everyday things, why would he expect Adrien to confide in him?

"I apologize if I upset you earlier," he heard his father say.

The reply was short and concise. No accusations, no demands, just a simple apology. Adrien's mouth hung open slightly, his lips not moving as he didn't know how to respond. His father _never_ apologized. And if he had, it had long since been forgotten. The boy stood there mouth agape as rain continued to fall, completely saturating his clothing. The silence on the other end remained as if hoping for a reply.

The words finally came.

"I'm. . . sorry too, father."

Silence spanned between them again. It wasn't normal to be talking. Not like this.

". . . I was planning to ask Nathalie to get some take out from that Chinese restaurant down the street. Were you planning to be home for dinner?"

A small smile crept up Adrien's lips.

"Yes. I'll be back home soon," he promised.

They said their goodbyes, and it probably couldn't have been more awkward. But Adrien supposed it couldn't have made him feel happier that he had spoken with him. He pushed the rain water around his face with the palms of his hands, scrubbing away the snot that had dribbled out his nose. Plagg peeked out from under Adrien's collar to find the boy smiling at him. His anger and fatigue had been replaced with a happy hope.

"How does Chinese sound for dinner?" Adrien asked.

Plagg nodded in agreement, coming out of Adrien's shirt. It was still raining, but the clouds on the horizon were parting, revealing a vibrant orange sunset. Perhaps things would be okay, even if they weren't how they had been. Plagg smiled back at the boy as Adrien raised his hand.

 _"Plagg, transform me!"_


	4. Follow-Through

_A/N: I've had this idea for a while. It's angst heavy, but if you've ever read my stuff, you probably already guessed that. The topic alone ought to be warning enough on it's own though. ;)_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 4: Follow-Through_**

 _When Adrien is kidnapped and held for ransom, Gabriel Agreste takes matters into his own hands._

* * *

"No way, dude," Nino replied incredulously, nudging his friend lightly.

"I'm not kidding," Adrien said, grinning back. He dug into his shoulder bag, retrieving a small paper. "I asked her to sign it when I ran into her as we were being evacuated. Here."

Nino took the paper from Adrien and peered at it, scrutinizing the details. It appeared to be a genuine, short note signed by Ladybug. Nino waggled his eyebrows to tease him over his 'crush'. Adrien suppressed a blush and bashfully rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Yeah, it's pretty great," he smiled sheepishly.

"Ha, how 'bout that?!" Nino exclaimed. "Bro, Alya's gonna flip when she sees this. You gotta show it to her when we hang out this weekend."

Adrien chuckled, replacing the note inside his bag.

"Sure thing."

"Hey man," Nino patted him on the back. "I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

Adrien acknowledged him and waved his best friend off as they parted ways. He preceded down the staircase from the entrance of the school. It appeared the limo was running late, which was abnormal. Not that Adrien minded, but Gabriel liked to keep everything on a tight schedule, including pick up and drop off times. The limo eventually pulled up along the curb and a lanky and tall, unfamiliar man got out to open the door. It was then Adrien remembered the Gorilla had the day off. Nathalie had dropped him off that morning and had told him Gorilla's substitute would be around to pick him up after school let out. So that's why he was late. He was new and probably still learning the routes. The man opened the door ushering him inside. Adrien dropped his bag from his shoulder and ducked into the vehicle letting the door shut behind him.

Adrien propped his bag on his knees and started to rifle through it as he searched for his physics homework for the day. After the staff replacement had re-entered the vehicle, the limo started down the stretch for home. After a few minutes of organizing, Adrien located the homework and pulled it out when the doors on either side of him abruptly opened up and two men slid into the vehicle.

"Hey!" Adrien exclaimed. "What are you-?"

"Quiet, kid, and we'll make this nice and eas-"

 _Crunch._

Without thinking, Adrien punched the man square in the nose. He immediately rotated to respond to the other man on his right, but the man had wrapped his arm around his neck before Adrien could fully turn. Adrien threw his head back, bashing the back of his skull against the man's nose and lips. This caused the man to release his hold slightly so Adrien took the opportunity to pull his knees up to his chest, kicking the dazed man on his left with both feet. The man tumbled out of the ajar door, landing harshly on the pavement. Gasps of surprise from people on the sidewalks reached his ears when a large hand suddenly clamped down on his face, covering his mouth with a damp cloth. The boy thrashed madly, releasing himself from the hold only briefly, but long enough to yell for Plagg. He didn't finish the command, however, but the kwami responded by dashing out from his pocket, chomping down on the man's meaty forefinger.

The man yelled, swatting backward at the bite, shouting something about a weird cat. Adrien dropped forward from the man's grip onto the floor of the limo. A lightheaded sensation blurred his surroundings with a thick gray fog which he blinked furiously against as he tried to regain his senses. Plagg was knocked back against the window and dropped to the floor, his little form rolled beneath the front-most passenger seat out of sight. The teen scrambled clumsily toward the light at the open door, when he felt himself yanked back at the ankle. He flipped himself over and released a kick from his other leg but missed entirely when the man holding his ankle twisted it roughly, jerking his concentration away with a twinge of pain. The other man climbed through the open door, quickly closing it behind him and Adrien felt the limo move again. The assailant bent down, pinning Adrien to the floor of the vehicle at his shoulders as the other pressed the cloth against his face again. The smothering, gray fog darkened into a thick black, blanketing his vision as he felt his body go limp.

. . . . . . . . .

Adrien blinked the weight away from his eyes, slowly noticing the remainder of his body was still unresponsive. His head drooped to one side echoing his equally asymmetrical slouch. His body was held to the chair with what felt like a rope, that fed around the wooden structure interlacing itself around his wrists behind his back. Another rope or two that secured his ankles to the legs of the chair caused him a notable discomfort, but even if he wasn't tied down, he wasn't sure he'd be able to sit up properly anyway. He couldn't see much. What looked like a burlap sack covered his head. The tiny gaps between the woven material didn't provide much information, no matter how much he squinted. A dull ache started beating against his temple after a moment. . . Then it dawned on him. He muttered Plagg's name under his breath, attempting to shift in an effort to get the kwami's attention. After a trying a couple of times he finally realized he hadn't seen Plagg since he bit the man. He could still be in the vehicle for all he knew. Adrien froze when he suddenly noticed his stirring alerted someone nearby.

"Aww, lookit that, the kid's finally awake."

Adrien tensed further at the sound of the voice. He knew someone had to be watching him. However, being tethered was an effective means to make him feel vulnerable all by itself, but confirming one of his captors (or more) was close by made him feel all the more defenseless. A large figure approached him, yanking the sack from his head. Adrien squinted against the brightness emitted by the bare florescent lights above his head as the limo driver from earlier bent down to meet his eye level. The man grinned largely displaying a set of yellowed teeth accompanied by a single tooth capped in gold. Adrien looked up at him since he still couldn't raise his head. His expression remained flat and emotionless but his eyes burned with contempt.

"What are you doing?" Adrien asked. His voice was level, maintaining a stark contrast to the fear and concern that filled his gut near to overflowing.

"Well, _Mr. Millionaire's Kid_ , I have it on good authority that you're a _smart_ kid. Surely you can put two and two together."

Adrien's face remained deadpan.

"You're using me to extort money from my father."

"How about that, you're smart after all," the skinny man replied, condescendingly patting him on the cheek. Adrien quickly shoved the strong desire to scowl to the recesses of his mind. "And now that you're conscious again, let's get to business, shall we?"

The man pulled a cellphone from his pocket and swiped through the information. Adrien rolled his eyes discretely, looking around the room to the limits his head would move. They appeared to be in a large storage unit, and an old one from the looks of it. Dusty fabric covered many of the supplies and containers throughout the space. Weather worn paint chipped away from the walls. Peering at the corner of his eye, the roof appeared to have a incline and small, horizontal windows that let in the dim light of the setting sun. His observations told him the location was generic enough not even all of his patrols as Chat Noir could help him identify where he was. However, the light filtering through the windows was enough to tell him how late the day had grown. Plagg wasn't near him him, but Adrien felt a wave of Chat Noir's shrewd, mischievous nature surface within him. He could buy time. Adrien sneered at the man as he was finalizing his selection.

"You do realize how late it is, right?"

The man looked at him. "What of it?"

"If my father hasn't heard from me, or you- which I think it's safe to assume you haven't contacted him since this morning- then he's already assumed the worst and alerted the police force to look for me," Adrien said confidently. "This wouldn't be the first time I haven't conformed to his schedule, you know, and he has the tendency to overreact."

"Nobody will even think ta check this part of town until very late into the search, I can assure you," the yellow toothed man replied, frowning when he realized the phone screen had turned off due to inactivity. He swiped it and re-input his password.

"Except the last time my father requested police backup, Ladybug _and Chat Noir_ ended up looking for me as well," he partly lied.

The man snorted. "You think a couple of teenagers in spandex will help your situation?"

"They travel much faster throughout the fact, I bet if I started yelling, Ladybug would-"

"You yell, you bleed," the man threatened, looking up from his phone, his voice steely.

"I know as well as you do that you need me alive," Adrien replied, still not backing down.

He was almost surprised at his boldness, but being Chat had given him more confidence as well as nerve. However, another man approached him from the side at a look from the skinny one and Adrien could feel his confidence wilt somewhat in response. The lanky man slipped his phone into his pocket casually as he stepped toward where Adrien sat. He bent toward the teen as he reached behind him.

"Then, let me alleviate you of that illusion," the man said, nonchalantly flicking a switch blade open between them.

He set broad side of the blade against the side of Adrien's face. Adrien swallowed hard against the lump that formed in his throat. He couldn't move much as it was, but that didn't stop him for trying to hold even more still. The man continued to look at him, his eyes as empty as a dead fish.

"You see, just because I need you alive, doesn't mean you can't be _damaged_."

He spoke quietly, poking the end of the knife into Adrien's cheek just deep enough to draw a small amount of blood. Adrien sucked in an involuntary sharp breath, his eyes growing as wide as saucers.

"In fact," he continued, "victims of blackmail often respond more effectively when they know someone is _actually_ at _risk_." He spoke as he dragged the blade down to the boy's jaw.

Adrien flinched as the air bit at his newly torn flesh. His released a small shiver as the feeling of his blood running down his neck was disconcertingly warm. His attention jumped back to the man in front of him when he removed the blade, only to quickly replace it in another location.

"So tell me, boy," he said, poking the blade at Adrien's chin, "do you still want to scream?"

Adrien grit his teeth tightly as the knife applied just the right amount of pressure to keep him from hazarding a reply. Breaths of air shuddered into and from of his nose as fat drops of sweat rolled down his forehead. The man chuckled darkly as he pulled the blade away wiping it against Adrien's sleeve before folding it back. Adrien remained silent, directing his eyes to the floor as the man took a step away.

"Glad we were able ta clarify that," the man said, pulling his cellphone out once more.

He put the phone on speaker. Adrien listened anxiously at the ring back tone when it was then answered.

"This is Gabriel."

"Mr. Agreste, let me start by thanking you for taking the time out of your busy schedule ta answer your phone."

"Who are you? What is it you want?"

"Me?" the man asked innocently. "I was just calling ta inform you the whereabouts of your son."

"Adrien? Where is he?!"

"Why, right next to me."

"Where's your proof?"

The lanky man made a signal to one standing behind Adrien. A rough tug at Adrien's hair gave him all the information he needed to know it was his turn to speak. He grimaced.

"Ah-! Father! It's me. . ."

His father's voice came over the phone in response. "Adrien! Are you hurt? Where are you?"

"I- Agh!"

Another pull indicated he was done.

"Adrien! Adrien-"

"First, let's discuss the terms, Mr. Agreste."

Gabriel's scoff sounded over the speaker.

"You think I'll give into the desires of a madman? You don't know who you're dealing with."

The skinny man frowned.

"Like father, like son. No idea when ta take a situation seriously," he said.

Heaving a dramatic sigh, the man stepped toward Adrien who stared at him warily, struggling again to make himself as small as possible. Adrien could hear Gabriel's voice shouting demands over the speaker to which the man responded apathetically. He squatted when he got to Adrien, looking him in the eye as he pointed to him.

"I'm gonna need a nice scream from you now, kid, if you would be so kind. Humor me."

Adrien looked at him incredulously as his father's voice rose a decibel in the background.

"Seriously?"

"One more chance ta perform, _without_ incentive," the man replied indifferently, punctuating his statement by pulling his knife out.

Adrien's eyes shot wide open and he thrashed in a mad attempt to free himself.

"N-no!" Adrien shouted. "Don't come any closer!"

"Needs ta be more convincing than that, I'm afraid."

The switchblade flipped open again, and before he could react, the man drove it downward into Adrien's leg a couple of inches above the knee. The teen let out a sharp yell as his pain receptors exploded from overload. A fiery burn surged from the point of entry into his lower back, causing his body to arch back in response. Gabriel's furious voice blasted over the speaker, spewing obscenities followed by threats, but Adrien was only vaguely aware of what he was actually saying. The pain muffled all awareness of anything else, a deafening ring blared at his ears and he felt himself slump awkwardly in the chair. All he knew for certain was he hurt. . . And his father had never been more pissed.

"-ou meet us there, _alone_ , in one hour," the man's voice permeated the dull buzz blocking his ears. "We take the money, and you get the boy. It's as simple as that."

"So be it," Gabriel's voice responded irately.

The phone sounded a click, to which the man responded with a shrug as he put his phone back into his pocket. He then grabbed the handle of the blade and pulled it straight out of Adrien's thigh. It was the most merciful way to remove it, Adrien supposed, but it didn't stop him from inadvertently yelping as the angry sensation was renewed. He found himself wishing desperately that Plagg would somehow magically find and transform him so he could escape. It was probably the injuries talking, but he actually felt fear overtaking him. His Chat-like gumption had retreated, hiding somewhere in his subconscious, and he wasn't quite sure how to summon it back, or what he'd do it he managed to feel bold again. Without Plagg or the assistance of someone else, there was no way he'd be able to get out on his own.

Tears brimmed at his eyelids. Anytime he had sustained and injury as Chat, the suit severely dampened any and all pain associated. He had forgotten to what intensity fresh wounds actually felt like, and while he had never been stabbed up until that point, he was confident it hurt worse than anything he had experienced ever before. And here he was, captive and bleeding. . . but not even as a hero. Just some sorry excuse for a teenage victim who couldn't even help himself. He choked back a sniffle and looked down at the floor, accidentally noticing the messy hole in his thigh. His stomach churned violently and he repressed the urge to gag. He made a mental note to avoid looking anywhere near his leg in the near future.

"Prep him for transport," the skinny man said over his shoulder, gathering a handful of objects into a duffle bag. "I don't want him seein' any more than he has, just in case the cops ask him questions."

One of the men from the limo retrieved the sack that was on Adrien's head when he first woke up. Adrien glared bitterly as the man replaced the bag, cinching it slightly around his neck to keep him from wriggling out. With his face covered he blinked, allowing his tears to drop. At least there was one advantage to not being able to see; they wouldn't be able to see him cry. He felt someone behind him, fiddling with his restraints. The rope holding him to the chair was released, and he dropped limply to the side, his fall being stopped only by the crook of his elbow catching the back corner of the chair. After they untied his feet, one of the large men lifted and tossed him over a shoulder reminiscent to a sack of flour. Whomever had him didn't bother to be gentle when they tossed him into the back of what was likely a van. He flopped onto the floor and two doors closed loudly behind him. Rolling onto his side, he gingerly repositioned his leg before expelled a weak sigh as he wondered what would happen next.

Sudden shouts and loud banging noises startled him. Adrien quickly, though clumsily pulled himself against where the floor met the wall of the vehicle. He pushed himself into it as tightly as possible, jerking into a curl when he felt something big knock heavily against the outside of the van. He hated not being able to see. He strained his hearing for any hint of what was happening. Was it the police? Had they found him? But as he listened closer, he heard high pitched shrieks and screams of pain. The sound of something small and light, like leaves in a windstorm repeatedly beat against the vehicle. Occasionally, another loud impact interrupted the continual scraping sound, jarring Adrien into a wild state of anxiety. It could be an akuma. His inability to see what was happening around him was terrifying, and the vehicle shuddered against whatever pushed it. He would cry out and alert his presence if he knew it was a friend, but the haunting screams that resounded in his ears cautioned him to stay silent, to pray he would remain unseen by whatever force was outside.

Adrien froze when he heard someone rattling the driver's door handle. It clicked open. A distressed yelp immediately sounded, followed by a desperate clawing against the upholstery of the seats before metal scraped on metal, a key being forced into the ignition. The individual causing the noises started crying frantically for help- or mercy, when a rushing sound of beating wings overtook them, drowning their call for aid as something fleshy was ripped violently away with a loud, wet sound. Adrien held perfectly still, striving to mute the rattles of adrenaline flowing through his body, only to be thrown for a loop when the ripping pulled the vehicle slamming onto its side. The windows shattered, and it took everything he could muster to keep from yelling. Glass rained down on him and he curled into himself instinctively for protection, glass poking and jabbing into his skin as he moved. Shivers ran through the length of his body as the buzzing around him intensified, becoming deafening as it closed in on the vehicle.

. . . . .

It stopped.

The sounds dissipated almost as abruptly as they began, but the dead silence was nearly equally unsettling. His heart pulsated at a highly accelerated rate, his body almost dancing as it shook back and forth with the nonstandard amount of epinephrine saturating his blood stream. He tried to focus and bring his breathing rate back to normal but every little sound sent him further into fight or flight. His arms were still bound behind his back, he couldn't see, he was becoming more claustrophobic by the moment and it was getting all the more difficult to breathe. He couldn't panic. Not now. There was no telling when help would arrive. That's what he told himself, but his thoughts continued to spiral out of control sending him down the dizzying path along with them.

The approaching wail of a siren accompanied by flashing blue broke him out of his trance. It had to be the police now, right? He tried to yell, but only a broken whisper escaped him. He swallowed at the lump in his throat, but it didn't change how thick his tongue felt in his mouth. Multiple footsteps plodded across the debris ridden pavement. Someone mentioned something about the blood and the mess. His ears were ringing again, of which he could only assume was a result of his body going into shock. He had to get out of the van. So he called out again, to no avail. He dragged himself sloppily across the glass toward the direction of the voices when he came to a wall. He strained to reposition himself and proceeded to kick it with his good leg.

 _Thud. Thud. Thud._

"What was that?" Officer Roger Raincomprix said, looking to his backup before turning around.

"It sounded like it was coming from that- van," came the reply.

They tentatively approached the overturned vehicle, reaching for the handle. Officer Raincomprix pulled it back slowly, baton at the ready, only to find a boy clad in the same clothing Adrien was last seen in. He dropped the baton on sight, reaching out to him.

Adrien flinched as they touched him, merely whimpering at the contact.

"He- he's a mess!" an assistant replied.

"It's alright, kid. We've been looking for you.

"Officers," a voice called out to them from the street to the alcove they stood in.

"Mr. Agreste!" they exclaimed. "Your son!"

Gabriel ran at them, skidding to a halt as he watched them pull the unresponsive teen from the wreckage.

"Adrien!" he exclaimed, helping them lift him from the glass to place him onto a backboard.

He helped pull the bag from his head and the emergency response team began checking the boy's vitals. Adrien stared back at Gabriel blankly as he tried to process what was happening, his chest still rising and falling with erratic breaths. A long moment passed before his face tightened and a cry escaped him, tears gushing down his cheeks.

"Son. . . Son, it's okay now," Gabriel replied quietly, kneeling down near his head, brushing some hair from his face.

Adrien winced as the medical team continued wrapping his leg and badly scraped limbs. Looking back to his father, he sniffled as a respiratory mask was placed over his face. The boy pushed it away defensively, fear coursing through him again. The emergency personnel tried to reason with him, but he shook them off, forcing himself to sit up as they attempted to place restraints over his wrists. He immediately regretted it as his vision spun madly, his stomach threatening to regurgitate the last thing he ate. Gabriel spoke to him softly as he assisted the paramedics in laying him back down.

"It will be okay, Adrien. I won't let anything bad happen to you," he said calmly.

Adrien nodded obediently against the rattles that shook his core as tears started to fall again. Gabriel's heart ached as he watched Adrien shake and gasp for air. The blood that marred the boy's skin and clothing made him sick to his stomach. He clenched the hand at his side with fury as a dark cloud passed at the backs of his eyes that scanned the surrounding area. It was littered with bloodied remains of Adrien's captors smeared into the walls and pavement, occasional remnants of what appeared to be butterfly wings were scattered among them. He scowled knowingly before turning his attention back to Adrien. The team was readying to lift him onto a stretcher.

"I'll stay with you. It'll be okay," he reassured again, trying to smile a little as he placed his fingers in the boy's loose grip.

"I promise."

* * *

 _A/N: **UPDATE:** "Rehabilitation" is a sequel story to this chapter. It's a separate story of its own and is not contained in these shorts._

 _Despite the topic, hopefully you were still able to enjoy it. Thanks for all of your follows and comments. You guys rock. Lastly, if you need a lighter pick me up now, and you like MariChat fics, I posted a single short the other day as an experimental romance-humor fic. (Disclaimer: I usually only write mostly depressing crap, so I can't say if it's any good or not. . .) Feel free to check it out anyway, if you so desire._


	5. Hindsight

_A/N: Inspired from the fantastic one-shot "Worst" written by_ _ **baneismydragon**_ _. You_ _should_ _ _ **definitely**__ _ _check it out__ _. This chapter is more or less an elaboration of the ideas_ _ **bane**_ _suggested._

* * *

 ** _Chapter 5: Hindsight_**

 _Gabriel's inner toil and remorse after realizing Adrien is the bearer of the Cat Miraculous._

* * *

He was pretty sure he had never felt so sick in his entire life. Gabriel's legs trembled madly as he dragded himself up the stairs to his room, his knees threatening to let him collapse with every step. Deathly tight was his grip as he repeatedly clamped his hand around the railing with each step forward, arduously reaching the top of the staircase. Stumbling clumsily down the hallway, he finally reached his door and fumbled with the door handle for a long moment before he successfully opened it. After stepping into the room and closing the door behind him, he collapsed completely, losing all will to continue his facade. Nothing mattered anymore. Not now. Not after everything he had done. Gabriel broke down completely. Losing every ounce of dignity he carried himself with on a daily basis, his face sunk into his hands as he let out a lugubrious sob.

All of his attempts had been futile after all. _Every. Single._ _akuma_ he had created to acquire the cat and ladybug Miraculouses had been unequivocally more damaging than he had ever intended them to be. Not in his darkest nightmare had he ever meant to harm his son. Adrien. . . If he ever knew. . . knew that _he_ was responsible for all of the torment and damage razed upon the citizens of Paris. . . He would never forgive him. In all of his efforts to restore life to the way it had been, he had driven Adrien away from him. Everything he did was to restore their family to the way it once was, but in doing so he had all but eradicated what trust Adrien had left for him. In addition to all that, if the teen ever was brought to the knowledge that he was the madman behind the mask, his trust would surely be shattered forever, beyond all hope of repair. _He could **never** know._

Gabriel's body shook uncontrollably, racked with unparalleled guilt and remorse as the past reeled through his mind like a film stuck on replay. It was all so obvious now. Images of the 'insufferable' cat boy were replaced by the realization of him and his son being one and the same. Every time he was injured, every time he was influenced by the akuma, _every single time_ \- it was Adrien. He had been so blinded by ambition that he missed all the cues. The fact that the boy was never seen at the same time as Chat and rarely with Ladybug, and that Chat was always around when akumas attacked Adrien's school, or that he had increasingly been sneaking out at night from his room on the _second floor_ . . . How had he never even considered the possibility? 'The magic of the Miraculous' Nooroo would probably remind him, but that did nothing in the way of providing any amount of consolation. It never would. Not now that he knew the truth of what he'd really been doing.

Bile rose in his throat what felt like every half minute or so. He could barely contain himself. Scrambling desperately on all fours across the carpet, he barely made it to the tile of the bathroom before he retched violently. His fingers trembled, white-knuckled against the floor as he continued to vomit with tears still streaming down his face, dropping to mix with the soiled tiling beneath him. Long minutes passed. He still couldn't stop. Were it possible, it seemed his body was physically rejecting the thoughts that ate at his soul, and it wasn't any more than he deserved. Blurry patches and shapes now occupied his vision as he now dry heaved, a heavy sweat sat at his brow running down his face along his jaw, dripping from his chin. Strength abandoned him when his arms crumpled, causing him to collapse onto his side with a pained grunt as his body continued to convulse. Perhaps this was the end; A fittingly pathetic end to one who had been so thoughtless and cruel.

A small tapping sound in the background met his ears, or at least the one that wasn't sitting in the puddle of his own fluids. He disregarded it as exhaustion overtook him, when it happened again. Something heavy moved, and a timid voice called out.

"-ath-"

The sound of his own heart palpitating heavily against his rib cage drowned out the sounds. His eyes started listlessly at the dismal rainbow of color on the floor before him, but he could feel something faint, thumping rhythmically against the floor under his legs. A soft breeze of moving air passed over his face when someone suddenly stooped down into his view.

"Father!"

Adrien had somehow come to find him at this abnormal time of day and the purpose of his visit was very much unknown. The boy's arrival, while he could feel a shred of gratitude rise in his heart, filled him almost entirely with a renewed guilt and shame that threatened again to overtake his consciousness as it shoved his thoughts back into a dark spiral. The boy shook his shoulder gently, continuing to call out to him. Gabriel's breathing was still heavy, making it difficult to will himself to interrupt it with speaking, but Adrien's expression showed the boy was truly terrified. He coughed thickly as he attempted to clear his throat, additional blood spattering against the floor.

"M'so'sorry," Gabriel managed to half slur before sucking in another labored breath.

Adrien gaped at him before he started to shout Nathalie's name frantically over his shoulder. His father's lips were covered with blood, as was much of the surrounding floor, riddled with chunks of partially digested food and great amounts of stomach acid. Adrien clamped a hand over his own mouth as he suppressed the urge to gag at the sight and the smell, quickly wrinkling his nose with resolve as he tried to lift Gabriel at the shoulders. The size difference proved too great as Adrien struggled to move his dead weight, so he called out to Nathalie again, desperately hoping his instructions reached her ears. He didn't dare leave his father alone in a state such as the one splayed before him. Instead, he reached quickly for a towel to fold it in half, placing it beneath Gabriel's head. He then sat anxiously next to where he lay, gripping his suit jacket tightly in his fist.

Gabriel's wet, weary eyes met the those of his son.

"Don't. You can't leave me _too_ ," Adrien stammered against the cry that sat at the edge of his tongue.

"You. . . have every right- to hate me," was all he chose to reply.

"Hate you-?" Adrien repeated back. "I- I don't- _hate_ you. Not- not at all!"

He shouted his last statement as the cry finally escaped his grasp, tears breaking loose into large streams down his cheeks. Gabriel didn't know how to react. Never mind having never been good at communication outside of formal settings, he was the least deserving of his son's love. None of Adrien's worry and concern was supposed to be spent on his account. He was supposed to react with spite and malice, bid him good riddance, damning him for every treason he had committed. Having been the cause of his sudden decline in health was just one more reason that could be added to his long list of transgressions. He was selfish enough to cause his own body to shut down and abandon the boy, even after everything else he had already subjected him to.

Part of him wanted to live, if only to spare Adrien the loss of another parent. He really did owe the boy that much, at least until he figured out what he had done; he could then accept imprisonment for his crimes, or what may come. But now he wasn't sure if his requirement was enough to pull himself back out, as he could feel his consciousness fading, slipping from his control as easily as water from cupped fingers. Adrien seemed to notice too as his eyes grew wide again and he demanded he stay awake, the volume in his voice increasing to almost equal the rate at which his hearing was becoming more and more muffled. He lifted a shaky hand resting it on Adrien's forearm before it dropped in a sad effort to comfort the boy. Adrien gripped it tightly his his hand that wasn't already holding onto his suit, pulling it up to his forehead as he bowed and let out a sob.

* * *

 _ _A/N: This probably didn't do remote justice to the fic that inspired it, but it was a good exercise anyway. Trying to convey hopelessness, depression, etc. in writing can be quite challenging.__

 _ _Lastly, a few of you have given me suggestions for additional chapters. I totally love that! So be looking forward to those in the future, and if any of you have other ideas, feel free to let me know either via review or pm.__


	6. Appearances

_A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates lately. I've decided to make what was going to be a sequel to chapter four- Follow-Through a story of its own. So that's what I've been working on lately. If you want to check it out, it's called "Rehabilitation". I didn't include it with these shorts because it's more Adrien/ Marinette-centric than Adrien's relationship with his father. But in order to refuel, I've decided to write up another short for a bit of a break. :) This one is a bit different from my previous chapters, but it still focuses on the Agreste family drama. Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6: Appearances**_

 _Gabriel asks Adrien about his bruise which leads to an interesting discovery._

* * *

"Adrien."

Gabriel's cold, flat voice reverberated through the spacious room causing Adrien to stiffen as the hairs on the back of his neck stood. He had just gotten home from school, making no pause between the front door to his room and yet, his father still managed to come out just in time to intercept him before he could complete his retreat. Adrien suppressed the sigh that threatened to escape him as his father's footsteps drew closer, the soft padding along the carpeted floor increasing his anxiety with each one to follow. Adrien hadn't turned to look at him yet, and he would wait until requested before he did so.

He knew why his father approached him, even when his work was far from over. His arrival coincided too closely to Adrien's return to be an accident. No, he was certain his father had planned to speak with him and received the necessary updates from Nathalie as to fit his work schedule around his availability. Adrien grimaced at the shadows that ran along the far end of the corridor. Gabriel was so obsessed with work any time Adrien wanted to speak with him. . . why, oh _why_ did he insist on making himself available now? He knew the reason, of course, but it still irritated him that the man only spoke with him only when it was convenient. Gabriel stopped somewhere close behind him but Adrien continued to stare at the brightly lit wall, as if the paintings which had hung there for years were suddenly interesting. Gabriel cleared his throat as if he needed to announce his arrival.

"Adrien," he repeated, this time demanding the teen's full attention.

The blonde turned to face him, all the while shoving his apprehensions to the back of his mind. Perhaps his father just wanted to ask how his day went. Maybe all of his worries and concerns were unfounded. Gabriel's fingers gently touched his jaw eliciting a flinch, tilting the boy's head upward and to the side as his eyes appraised his appearance. Adrien felt his stomach knot as his father peered at him, the man's face falling with a disapproving frown when a deep purple discoloration had caught his eye. Nope. Adrien knew exactly what his father had come for.

"What is this?" he asked evenly, his voice void of any traceable emotion.

Adrien swallowed. Nothing ever got past his father's watchful eye, even with the painstaking time he had taken it to conceal it. The bruise he had obtained in the most recent akuma attack ran along his left cheekbone and was thickly coated in foundation. The reality was Adrien had only narrowly avoided a black eye, which would have been much more difficult to mask than a lousy bruise. Had Gabriel known that though, he probably would have confined him to the estate for life. Adrien knew he was skilled enough at applying makeup from all of the photo shoots he'd prepare for so the staff wouldn't ask questions (like for the aftermath of an akuma battles), so it wasn't the craft that lacked. The job had been good enough for school. Nobody, not even Nino had noticed. It was _the man_ the cover up was being tested against. The man that saw through everything, even the perfect disguise.

"I fell and hit the edge of a desk," he lied, pulling away from his father's hold. Gabriel's grip tightened just enough to persuade him against fleeing. He wasn't done yet. The man shook his head before scrutinizing over him again, just in case he had attempted to conceal anything else.

"Now Adrien, you and I both know you're not clumsy."

That depended on if he was Chat or not, Adrien argued in his mind. As the masked hero he was agile but far more prone to 'bad luck' as it was. The steely gaze of his father caught his eyes again but this time, it seemed to communicate something entirely different. Like he could see something Adrien couldn't.

"Although," Gabriel continued, dropping his hand to his pocket, "with the number of injuries you've sustained lately, perhaps you are more clumsy than I thought."

Adrien's eyes grew wide as he stared at the silver haired man. Certainly he couldn't have-

"Don't think I haven't noticed."

"Noticed?" Adrien replied timidly, feeling sweat bead at his forehead from the increasing warmth courtesy of the overhead spotlights. "Noticed what?"

"Adrien," Gabriel pressed again, stepping closer as Adrien took a step back. "What have you not told me?"

A silent tension grew between them, Adrien remaining still so as not to fidget and give his innermost thoughts away. His father couldn't possibly know of his alter ego. But if he had any reason to believe Adrien was Chat Noir, he needed to put his suspicions to rest immediately. He couldn't afford to get worked up and lose focus now. He sucked in a breath before responding, his father's icy stare still boring holes through him as he waited for his response.

"If you're talking about my fencing lessons, I have increased my regimen," he replied as casually as manageable. "Despite appearances, I'm improving tremendously." He forced a grin after his last statement to punctuate his 'excitement'.

"Is that all?"

"That's all that comes to mind," Adrien replied flatly.

"Very well." And with that, his father turned back toward his study. Adrien gaped at him incredulously, although he remained unmoved for the most part, not trusting himself an inch of movement so long as his father might still take notice. "Take care that you don't stumble any more in the near future," Gabriel added. "Your next photo shoot is tomorrow."

"Yes, father."

Only after the doors to Gabriel's office closed shut did Adrien allow himself to turn around, quickly retiring to his room. His pulse fired rapidly as made it nervously through the doorway, closing the door behind him before sliding down its surface onto the floor. Plagg zipped out from his jacket.

"Do you think he knows?" Adrien whispered, still rattling with the newly freed adrenaline.

The black kwami shrugged, shaking his head. "We just need to be extra careful in the future."

Adrien nodded in agreement.

. . .

After ensuring the door was closed behind him, Gabriel took a seat behind his desk. His eyes traveled over the stack of paperwork and office clutter to a photo of his wife and son sitting on the corner of the desk's surface. He pulled a dark purple brooch from the inside of his blazer, turning it over thoughtfully in his fingers as his gaze pierced the image. There was no doubt in his mind now. He had confirmed his suspicions.

All he needed to do now was decide what to do with the information.

* * *

 _A/N: This one might merit a sequel. We'll see if I can come up with anything. Otherwise, the next update will be sporadic, but feel free to check out "Rehabilitation" for all your angst needs in the mean time. Thanks for reading!_


	7. Perception

_A/N: Okay, so I had another idea as I've been working through the other fic I've been working on. So I took a break to write easily the shortest chapter in this series so far. Hope you enjoy it anyway. Sorry for spamming you with updates!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 7: Perception**_

 _After learning his father is Hawkmoth, Adrien sets out to stop him._

* * *

"All this time. . ."

Gabriel squinted at the teen sprawled out on the floor in front of him then back to the sharp end of his cane now coated in red. He had his suspicions, but now it was spelled out clearly before him. His son had been Chat Noir all along. Why had he not seen it before? Their hair color and eyes were the same (with the exception of the yellow glow of Chat's eyes). Additionally, Chat Noir often behaved as Adrien had when he was younger, before he learned to suppress his preposterous behavior and adopt more becoming manners. The two were one and the same, and it had come to this.

Adrien gasped as he clenched his gut with his fist in a sorry attempt to stem the blood pouring from his abdomen. He watched the man he once called father standing unresponsive a few feet from him. The man was still dressed from head to toe in a deep purple suit, the guise that set him apart from other civilians, identifying him as the villain Hawkmoth. Adrien already knew who he was. That's why he came to stop him. Only, he didn't complete the task he had set out to do. The man was faster and more cunning than Chat had given him credit for and he soon found himself on the receiving end of the pointed cane, earning his gut a clean laceration across its width. Plagg had been run so weary over the course of the day that his strength had given out entirely, leaving the teen de-tranformed, feeling more vulnerable than ever. But Adrien would never fault his best friend. It wasn't his kwami's fault and Adrien knew he'd have to let the mask down at some point. The blonde redirected his furious gaze to his opponent.

"Disappointed?" Adrien growled, bashing his teeth together defiantly.

". . ."

He continued to glare at the man towering over him only to have angry tears prick at his eyes. Adrien felt upset, frustrated. _Completely_ betrayed. But there was no denying he had hoped his father would have at least been _the least bit_ apologetic upon realizing he had been fighting his own flesh and blood for the last couple of years. But the man had _no_ remorse. _No_ pity. Adrien berated himself as Hawkmoth's steely eyes bore into him. He should have realized such and never pinned his hopes on something so impossible as for his father to have feelings. Not after his mother disappeared.

The blonde barked a wet, bitter cough at the irony. His mother had disappeared, and that tore his father down to his core, as empty as he was. And Adrien was the spitting image of his mother. Was it really any wonder that he didn't care? The man now had an escape from the reminder that haunted him day in and out. His spouse was no longer around, but his dratted offspring was. If Adrien ceased to exist, the man could move on with his life. He wouldn't be weighed down by a dependent that only reminded him of what happiness he once had.

Adrien's strength gave out, leaving him to collapse on the crimson stained cement below him. Ragged coughs interrupted the boy's wet heaving as he lay writhing on the ground, wishing he would just die already or that his dastardly father would have the decency to just end him. He had suffered enough at the hands of that man already. Putting him out of his misery was the least he owed him.

"S- so fin-ish it," Adrien demanded, his cheeks now completely drenched in the cool saline liquid.

As if to answer his plea, the man lifted his hand.

Adrien slammed his eyes shut.

. . .

It never came.

A brilliant flash of purple burst through the room. The man known as Hawkmoth transformed and Gabriel Agreste immediately dropped to his knees. The last minute had gone by incredibly slowly, but even now his mind was reeling at a gillion miles a minute. He ripped his blazer off, wading it arbitrarily before pressing it hard against the blonde's gaping wound. Adrien hissed. Gabriel winced at his reaction but maintained the pressure, calling over his shoulder to instruct Nooroo to call an ambulance. The purple kwami dashed out of sight and out of mind as the silver haired man desperately attempted to staunch the bleeding against the terrible trembles that jerked at his hands.

"Adrien."

His voice hitched when he spoke his name as Gabriel knew he was no longer deserving to call himself the boy's father. Adrien only responded with a stifled sniffle, more tears coursing down his face as his eyes creased with anguish. Gabriel's heart splintered as their respective worlds came crashing down around them. The boy's face was ghostly white, and it was a wonder he was still conscious.

"Ade- You-ll be al-ight," Gabriel stammered, feeling overwhelming emotion wash clean over him.

It was a sensation he hadn't experienced in years. His own eyes felt an unfamiliar wetness as tears proceeded to gush from his lids. Adrien looked up, surprised to find a glimmer of the man he once knew staring back at him. The blonde's vision was blurring beyond that of the tears now, and every bleary attempt he made to blink only made it worse, but he had seen him. Darkness now surrounded him on all sides but his pain was also subsiding, dampening into a dull numbness as all feeling seemed to leave him. His father was saying something. Nothing coherent, but that was trivial. He had seen a glimpse of the father he once had, signifying the man was making a return, and that's all that mattered to Adrien. He could rest now, knowing that he had succeeded in what he had set out to do. He had saved Gabriel Agreste.

* * *

 _A/N: When starting this, I totally intended to make Gabriel more of a monster, but this is how it turned out in the end. xD I struggle writing him completely evil. . . Totally messed up, yes, but not evil._


	8. Aftermath

_A/N: A sequel. Wha? You read that correctly. Hope you enjoy._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 8: Aftermath**_

 _The aftermath of chapter seven._

* * *

White.

Then red.

Pain. An immense amount of pain at his gut. Like he had been split open. His chest felt like it was on fire and all he could do was gasp. Everything was a blinding white again. He could hear voices calling out to him, urgently going back and forth, but he couldn't make any of it out. He didn't care anyway, he just needed to _breathe_. He tried to force his chest up and down, suck in a breath or two.

But he didn't.

He couldn't.

. . . . .

. . .

.

A jolt of energy shot through him forcing his heart to resume. His body was thrown back against a hard surface causing a huge gasp to enter him. The desperately needed oxygen burned his lungs anew as his body strained to function automatically once again. With the ability to breathe returned the pain. It was too much. Everything went dark.

. . .

Gray, misty silence.

Yellow, green, blue, and various other colored blobs spattered his vision. Adrien blinked wearily at the dim lights in an otherwise black surrounding, nothing changing remotely in clarity of appearance. A quiet hum emanated somewhere behind him along with a steady beep, and something else to his side was producing a faint, rhythmic ticking noise. Everything still seemed so muffled, like his head was sandwiched between thick pillows. The rest of him felt equally dampened to sensations as his limbs felt like giant cement slabs, his neck didn't move any more readily.

It was a good thing he couldn't move though, he figured when a dull pain throbbed at his abdomen, indicating he had exerted himself too much from even the small movements. So he looked around some more, eventually noticing he was surrounded by a sea of white linen. Pillows propped his head and back at an incline and he was covered from the chest down in a draped sheet and blanket. Someone had changed his clothing. He was wearing something- maybe blue-ish, it was too dark to tell, but it covered him loosely down to his elbows. He blinked again still unsure what was happening or where he was. If he didn't know any better, he'd say he was in a hospital.

Adrein moved his hand when his torso started to itch but it wasn't the weight that stopped it this time, rather, it was a collection of tubes and wires that tugged against the edge of the bed halting his movements. Upon further observation, there was a whole maze of lines connecting him to what was possibly every sensor and monitor on the planet. Whatever had led up to now must have been disastrous. He searched his memory, trying to recall anything that might give him a clue when he realized another hand lay below his. His eyes traveled from the unfamiliar hand along the wrist, up the arm, to find a man slouched over in a chair along side the bed. It was his father.

Everything seemed to come back instantly. That's right. He had gone to stop Hawkmoth. His father. And he did. But there was blood. Lots and lots of blood. That was all he could recall. Did he die? He stared at his father passed out in the chair beside him. The glowing lights of a monitor faintly lighting his features with a washed out green. The man looked tired. His hair was a mess, like he had run his fingers through his locks one too many times since the last time he showered, and while it was too dark to really tell, Adrien thought the circles under his eyes looked more pronounced. The boy felt his stomach flip as the realization of his father's presence hit him again. The man was there, with him. Even in the middle of the night, the man had chosen to stay with Adrien.

Gabriel's phone lit up with a notification. Curious, Adrien carefully reached for it and tapped the screen, lighting it up once more to view the time. It was 2:41 in the morning, and. . . Adrien felt his stomach flip a second time and drop, a lump forming at the back of his throat when he saw the date. He raced through his memories again, trying to recall the last day he had been in class. He remembered Ms. Bustier writing on the board "September 3" and Gabriel's phone had clearly displayed October 21. Maybe he had misread it since the phone faced his father. So he tapped it again. It was confirmed.

Adrien had been asleep for over a month.

His gut clenched at the news. He didn't want to believe it, but he probably really did almost die. Looking back at Gabriel, his eyes began to tear up when he realized there was a strong possibility that his father had stayed with him every night since then. Aside from that, who knew how much time out of his day had been relocated to his hospital room. It was probably the medication talking but Adrien couldn't stop himself and started crying freely. Tears dribbling silently down his face as his body tensed with emotion, when a bright pain suddenly flared along his abdomen making him want to puke. He sucked in a couple of sharp breaths biting back against the pain, but it didn't relent. His respiration rate increased, as if an increase of oxygen would ease his agony. However, every time his muscles moved in the slightest, the sensation worsened, leaving him to only take in broken gasps.

Gabriel woke with a start, finding his fingers clamped in the death grip which was his son's hand. The sensors around them were sounding, indicating to the medical personnel that something was wrong. The silver haired man took to leave, but when Adrien didn't release him he turned to find the pleading eyes of the boy, begging him to remain. A man in green scrubs darted into the room, glancing briefly over the monitors before reaching for a device attached to the end of a tube. After the second longest minute of his life, Gabriel heard the sensors returning to a steady beat again.

The doctor whispered something to Gabriel, quietly enough that Adrien couldn't hear it, but he was just relieved the pain had dissipated. After the doctor exited the room, Gabriel sat into the chair before scooting closer. Adrien could feel his eyelids droop again. It was if all the sleep he had gotten earlier had no bearing on his current state of fatigue. His father slid his hand back under his, squeezing his fingers gently. Adrien blinked at him but couldn't find the energy to smile. Gabriel smiled weakly at him when his eyes creased with sadness. He placed his other hand carefully over top to sandwich Adrien's hand between his as he looked at him. The man's head then dropped to the edge of the bed as he rattled with shivers.

"Forgive me," came Gabriel's voice with a broken sob.

The man said nothing more, but his trembling shoulders said everything else. Adrien had already forgiven him though. He was just happy to have his father back. He flexed his hand slightly in response. Gabriel looked back up to him with remorse, but a slight smile tugged at the corner of Adrien's lips this time. He wanted to reassure his father it would be alright. Gabriel nodded in small motions, responding with a weak attempt at a smile.

Adrien was confident that everything would work out.

* * *

 _A/N: Yay, yay, he's actually alive! I don't mean to kill him so often, so here's to make up for that. Anyway, thanks for reading. :) Next update will come at some point in the future._


	9. Complication

_A/N: Hey guys! Sorry the chapters have been so incessantly dark lately. This one should be lighter, meaning, no deaths. So, not really lighter, as mentioned by **remasa**. xD I apologize. I struggle to write anything truly light._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9: Complication**_

 _Gabriel happens across Adrien when he unmasks._

* * *

"It's not that simple," Adrien pleaded. He tried to keep his voice calm as he took another step backward, but panic was growing in him with every moment that passed.

"It is," Gabriel responded evenly, closing the gap between them when Adrien backed into the wall. "Have you heard nothing I've been telling you?"

Of course he had. Adrien had heard everything, but that didn't mean he agreed. He wished with all his being he could phase through the wall's surface just like Plagg could, but he remained under interrogation, back smashed flat against the wall as he tried desperately to distance himself from his father. If only he had been more cautious upon entering his room and releasing his transformation, none of this would have happened and they wouldn't be having this progressively unsettling conversation. His father's insistence on Adrien relinquishing his miraculous in return for the resurrection of his mother. . . The notion was ludicrous, but Gabriel seemed convinced it was possible. Adrien supposed it had something to do with that book he had found in his father's possession. But forget convinced, the man seemed absolutely obsessed with the idea, and the crazed glint in his eyes was frightening.

"Adrien, I demand you give me the ring."

"No." Adrien was surprised at himself when the word immediately left him without debate. Gabriel stared at him, incredulously. "Father, can't you see, I've been entrusted with this. I can't just-"

Gabriel's mouth fell into a deeper frown.

"You're a mere child, Adrien. What could you hope to understand?"

Adrien's expression soured. He hated when his father said things like that.

"Father," Adrien exclaimed, "I refuse to fight you on this. Don-"

"My sentiments exactly," Gabriel interjected. "I will not fight you."

Adrien gaped at his response, but his expression only lasted a moment before his eyes blew wide with anxiety for Gabriel stepped away from him and suddenly raised his arms from his side, issuing a call:

"Nooroo, transform me."

A violet light flashed as Adrien watched his father transform into a purple, masked figure, terror filling his eyes as he realized the man who stood before him was none other than Hawkmoth.

"I will put an end to this before it begins," Gabriel clarified as the windows of the room burst open, hundreds upon thousands of butterflies entering, surrounding them.

"Plagg-" Adrien called, only to be cut short when Gabriel rushed him, thrusting the blunt handle of his cane into the boy's gut.

Adrien released a grunt as he crumpled, staggering before the purple clad man swept his feet out from under him, sending him to the ground. Plagg rushed out from his jacket pocket spewing curses, only to be quickly overpowered by the sheer numbers of the insects until Adrien could no longer see him. Butterflies then washed over him as well and become increasingly heavy as they amassed, effectively holding Adrien down despite his efforts to throw them off. When he called for Plagg's transformation a second time the butterflies flew into his mouth instead, effectively muffling his voice. Adrien spit them out but more insects quickly replaced the others, stifling his attempt to summon Chat's power.

Gabriel thrust the cane against Adrien's wrist, pinning it against the floor as the winged insects continued to gather on top of the teen. Hawkmoth then bent down and tightly gripped Adrien's right hand, working his thumb between his fist-balled fingers, prying them apart as he separated the boy's ring finger from it's surrounding protection. The blonde emitted a muffled cry of protest but Gabriel ignored it, focusing instead on the prize that was nearly in his grasp, when out of the corner of his eye he saw something glimmer in the light. Adrien's wet face stared back at him with an expression of pure horror as he watched his father betray his trust. Gabriel hesitated for a brief moment before grabbing the ring on the boy's finger, preparing to remove it along with any hope of his son ever trusting him again. It didn't matter now. Once his mother had been returned, he would eventually be forgiven.

But the ring didn't budge.

Father and son alike watched in awe as Gabriel tugged at it, only to have it remain perfectly in place. Nooroo's voice came into Gabriel's subconscious.

 _'If a miraculous wielder's bond with the miraculous itself is not broken, it is nigh impossible to take the miraculous by force. The wielder must relinquish it by will.'_

"N- NO!"

Gabriel shouted in despair, stumbling away from the prostrate boy before him as he realized his error. Adrien watched his father, anxiously awaiting his next move as the butterflies had yet to disperse. Plagg still hadn't resurfaced and Adrien had run out of things to try.

"Must relinquish it by will. . ." Gabriel repeated as a mutter, tapping his fingers against his chin as he played the thought over in his head. "By will. . ." Adrien heard faintly against the beating of thousands of tiny wings.

"Adrien," his father's voice came again, this time sending a chill down the blonde's spine. "Tell me," he said, crouching to face him. "Won't you reconsider? Think of what we could do, together."

Adrien watched Hawkmoth as he loomed over him. He was trying to bargain. Apparently the miraculous weren't something that could just be taken, but had to be given. Or, at least in the case where the wielder was still alive. The alternative made Adrien shudder, or perhaps it was the butterflies working their way under his clothing. . . Regardless, his father was Hawkmoth. The man who was behind all of the akuma attacks that had threatened Paris. Perhaps he'd convinced himself that it was all for the good of his family, but Adrien knew the man's actions were still greatly unjustified. He couldn't help him by giving the man what he sought, even if it was to bring back his own mother. More tears escaped him when he looked his father in the eye before shaking his head, shouting a garbled noise akin to 'hell, no' accompanied by a few choice words from his insect infested mouth.

Gabriel frowned, displaying his clear displeasure at his son's audacious response, wishing all the while it had been someone else. But it was his own son. Adrien was indeed Chat Noir, and Hawkmoth needed Chat's miraculous to bring his plan to fruition. He was his son, but that couldn't be a deciding factor now. For the unprecedented event such as reviving his late wife, it wasn't a surprise that sacrifices were required. As much as it pained him, Gabriel now knew that losing his son's love and trust were among of those sacrifices needed to be made. Adrien would give up his miraculous with time. All he needed was a little more persuasion.

The butterflies piled deeper and Adrien could barely see beyond the white blanket now. He shouted at his father again, but the man turned away as the insects buried him completely. Moments later the butterflies departed, leaving as quickly as they had arrived, revealing an unconscious boy and his black kwami in their wake. Gabriel de-transformed and bent down to scoop the boy into his arms, Adrien's form drooping limply against his chest. He would need to be relocated until he gave up his miraculous, and Gabriel had a few ideas that were worth trying before more drastic measures. A frown of remorse crept over Gabriel's features as he retreated with the teen in tow, but he quickly shoved all doubts aside and his steely resolve returned.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

 _A/N: Hey, pst, hey Hawky. 'I'm sorry' means you actually feel bad enough and won't do it again/ continue your current path of action._

 _Next update will happen sometime._


	10. Finding the Breaking Point

_A/N: Short chapter. But this was a fun challenge as I tried to use and avoid certain words and/ or literary techniques. Hope you like it despite the subject matter._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 10: Finding the Breaking Point**_

Continuation of the last chapter, "Complication". **Warning:** Heavily implied torture.

* * *

Blood trailed along the cement floor, trickling alongside uneven lumps in the surface, seeping into cracks in the foundation. The maze of warm bloodstain complemented its already eerie, stony environment, contrasting the frigid hues of the floor beneath it. Deathly silence echoed through the confinement aside from the occasional muted thump of perhaps a door opening or closing in an adjacent room, amplifying its 'ambiance' by smothering any solace that might be found in its depths. Quiet, pained breaths whispered unevenly from the center of the room where laid the source of the red fountain.

Sweat and crimson matted dulled blonde to pallid skin. Shallow tears and lacerations blotched what used to be a white over-shirt, now covered in dirt and grime from the extensive time spent on the filthy floor with multiple holes gaping through both of the two shirts, exposing angrily puckered flesh and bloodied welts that mottled the owner's bony torso. A myriad of contusions further marred the pale tissue with brilliant blooms of purple and green, many areas of which were accompanied by generous swelling in response to the abuse endured. And while difficult to ascertain from the surface, there was a morbid certainty that the entire mess housed multiple breaks and fractures, many of which greatly hampered the ability to move and protect from further harm. Not that protection was easy to come by in the first place. Ragged cloth binding the wrists and ankles saw to that, only digging deeper into the already compromised skin with every jerking movement whether voluntary or visceral.

Dimmed green eyes, red with irritation stared blankly at the floor before them, slowly leaking what tears remained. They had cried so much within the past few days, there was hardly anything left. Yet somehow, despite all logic, tears were still produced, exiting their confines anytime a new addition of pain was introduced. But while tears escaped, cries did not. The voice was tired of reasoning, tired of pleading. Tired of screaming. Little good it did anyway, as a wadded cloth stuffed in the cavity of the mouth effectively kept the tongue back, stifling all sound that could be produced to an incoherent mumble. In addition, the location in which the stage was set seemed removed and unknown. A dark secret kept from anything or _anyone_ nearby, and the only pair of ears that could listen to the shouts were turned away, choosing deafness over conscience.

Perhaps if endured long enough, the captor would relent, release their prey in frustration. But that seemed unlikely. The occasional break for a small portion of much needed sustenance was still given, indicating the assailant did not seek death but merely compliance. And the stomach had yet to learn to starve itself, greedily taking in the meager nutrients as quickly as they were provided. Also, if the _persuasion_ ever got too aggressive, care was issued immediately as necessary. On more than one occasion had sutures been administered by one of many possessed lackeys, mindlessly following orders and partially repairing the broken flesh with surprisingly expert skill. However, anesthesia was off the table, leaving the repetitive entrance and exit of the curved needle to elicit raw agony from its recipient. The numbing agent in the antibacterial paste used post procedure was greatly appreciated however, even if its covering bandages felt a little too tightly applied. Taking all things into account, there was little evidence suggesting an early release would occur. Any hope that had been was steadily being reduced to the rubble of broken dreams.

A set of footsteps trod evenly across the hard surface, waking the broken captive from an uneasy, pain induced sleep. Exhausted green eyes looked up to defiantly meet the gray that came to hover above them. The steel cold eyes were framed by an equally unpleasant hood, covering all but the large frown that graced the abuser's lips. Bending down, the masked captor brusquely gripped the victim's blood smeared jaw in a gloved hand before repeating the same refrain issued at the beginning of every meeting. The younger of the two only glared in response, to which the other sighed before thrusting the captive aside, stalking angrily to the edge of the room upon where another instrument of interrogation was procured. Perhaps this time would yield different results.

However,

Both knew otherwise.

* * *

 _A/N: "fluoroid, don't you ever write anything happy?" LOL Not often. Besides. It's labeled angst and rated T. You all knew what you were getting yourselves into. ;) Thanks for reading, hope you're still enjoying the maddening heartbreak, because I'm not done writing it._


	11. The Reason For Resilience

_A/N: Hey folks, another update for you! Also, for those who need a break from the doom and gloom, Gabriel is significantly more redeemable in "Rehabilitation," so check that out if you want some less dark reading._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 11: The Reason for Resilience**_

 _Continuation of the previous chapter "Finding the Breaking Point". The last and final installation of this particular situation._

* * *

He was on his last leg. It shouldn't have lasted this long, yet the boy's resilience was stronger than he had given him credit for. Gabriel towered over the boy as he realized he was rapidly running out of less permanent solutions to the problem at hand. While he found the resistance of his own son to be exhausting, he wasn't so hard pressed that he would result to the severing of limbs. Yet. But the boy still showed no signs of surrendering.

Adrien was tired of enduring. He had desperately hoped that if he held on long enough, Plagg or Ladybug would find him. But help had yet to arrive, and Adrien wasn't sure how much longer his resolve would remain intact. The overloaded pain receptors fogged his mind with relentless screaming, pleading with him to just give the man the dratted ring and be done with it. Surely Hawkmoth knew how close his victim was to the breaking point. That's why he wasn't letting up, even though it had to be well into the night by now. But something kept Adrien fighting. Something willed him to defy that man who had all but destroyed him, if not for his own sake, then for Plagg's. He would never allow _that man_ to lay hold on his kwami, his friend, and he'd be damned if he didn't do everything in his power to resist his one time father's dirty, merciless tactics.

The masked man suddenly tore him from the ground, balling the teen's shirt in his fist as he dead lifted him off the ground with one hand. Adrien found himself eye to eye with his oppressor who continued holding him in the air as he brought him closer. The blonde tensed instinctively in an effort to support his hanging weight, only to wince as his beaten body vehemently protested the flexion of any of his muscles. He felt his head loll to his shoulder and his vision tilt along with it as the blood rushed to his feet, driving his surroundings into a black, speckled tunnel with Hawkmoth's face at its focal point. He grunted something garbled by the gag. In truth, it was just a pain induced moan, but the man seemed to have taken it as an effort to speak since he promptly removed the iron flavor cloth from his mouth.

"You have something to say?" he inquired when Adrien didn't immediately jump at the chance to speak his mind.

With labored effort, Adrien raised his head to meet the man squarely before addressing him.

"Fight me as yourself instead of hiding behind that mask, you bastard." Adrien spat the words bitterly as he scowled, biting back against the pain in his core that threatened his vision yet again with a blurry haze.

"Is that how to speak to your father, Adrien?" the man replied simply, frowning more deeply.

"The father _I_ know would _never_ do this," Adrien growled, his voice steadily growing with each word.

The man scoffed. "Who do you think I am? I _am_ y-"

 _"LIAR!"_ Adrien screamed. He felt himself begin to black out but he pushed beyond it, continuing to yell even though he couldn't see. He wasn't finished. "My father may have been a lot of things, but he _NEVER_ _intentionally hurt_ _me!_ "

Hot tears were now dripping down his face, removing some of the crusted blood in their paths. After all that happened, he didn't know why he cared anymore. His father was gone and had been replaced by some unfeeling monster that only retained his visage. A shadow of who he really was.

The man let out an exasperated sigh. "And here I thought you were going to finally play along," he said, proceeding to stuff the cloth back into the boy's mouth.

Adrien jerked his head away suddenly, rebounding to chomp down on the side of the man's hand. This resulted in the grip on Adrien's collar to loosen enough that the teen fell to the ground. The blonde returned with another stab, yelling with all the energy he could muster.

"Do you really think, even if you _did_ bring mother back, that she'd forgive you after all you've-"

 _"Silence!"_

The man hissed furiously. A sweeping backhand struck across Adrien's face, hitting his head to the side before he crumpled to the ground as the teen's surroundings spiraled into a dizzying spin. The boy clumsily pushed his knees under him only to be sent flying from a swift kick to his gut, throwing him into the far wall where he fell to the floor like a stuffed toy. He blinked blearily as his eyes refused to focus, pupils dilating and constricting out of sync. His heart hammered against his chest like a jackhammer making it all the more difficult to breathe effectively, so his mouth remained agape as he struggled for gasps, saliva freely dropping from his pale lips to the ground.

"You-you're right," the blonde sputtered between gasps, watching the blurry form of the dark man advance like a predator coming in for the kill. "Maybe you really- _are_ \- my f-father. Why e-else would you have both-ered to have me fed- or- stit-ched up? May-be part of you d-id want to save- me."

Nausea lurched within, forcing him to curl into himself before vomiting violently just short of Hawkmoth's leather shoes. Pity. When his stomach had completed emptying its contents, Adrien caught an eye full of the translucent puddle of bright red beneath him. The masked man seemed taken aback as well, as he stopped dead in his movement. Adrien released a weak, bitter chuckle.

"It s-eems those ef-forts were also i-n vain."

The long ignored pain finally caught up to him, causing Adrien to release a choking gasp in a desperate attempt to breathe before he passed out, eyes rolling upward as he collapsed completely into the puddle of his own fluids. Hawkmoth loomed over him a moment longer before stooping down, his shaky hand reaching for the boy who lay before him, stopping just above the hands bound behind his back. The miraculous. Perhaps now he could finally take it. His fingers trembled as they brushed against the metal, apprehensively gripping the ring. Was it finally his?

A sharp pain shot through Gabriel's temples upon touching Adrien's miraculous, causing his hand to lurch away from it as if he had just been electrocuted. Images fired through his mind at an impossible rate, one right after the next. Memories flooded through him, sadness and grief overwhelming him.

 _"I love you._

 _Chin up, my dear Gabe._

 _Everything will be alright."_

 _"I wish I could believe that."_

 _"Promise me, Gabe._

 _Promise me that whatever happens,_

 _you'll always protect and care for Adrien."_

 _"Of course._

 _Of course, my dear._

 _You have my word."_

 _. . ._

 _"Father,_

 _why is mother not here?"_

 _"She is somewhere far away now."_

 _"Father,_

 _are you going to leave too?"_

 _"No, son._

 _I promised your mother_

 _and I will take care of you."_

The memories flooded through him, sadness and grief overwhelming him.

But then came a glimmer of resolve.

A pure, anguished cry ruptured through the cement room, the walls threatening to crumble where they stood as the wail echoed repeatedly against them. The masked man clawed viciously at the cowl that covered his features before violently gripping the broach at his collar and ripping it off, revealing Gabriel Agreste on his knees when the transformation disappeared instantly. He thrust the broach to the floor which clattered upon impact, an unearthly shriek, louder than the cry that preceded it tore through the chamber, emanating from the jewelry now cast aside. Gabriel was thrown back and Adrien's body was pushed over itself as energy raced through the space when a ghastly purple shadow burst from the pin, disintegrating into the air as the scream dissipated with it. The whisper of silence returned to the room, restoring it to a state that suggested nothing that was just experienced actually happened.

The silver haired man gaped at the scene that had just unfolded itself before him when his eyes came to rest on the unresponsive form of his son. _'Adrien!'_ He rushed over on all fours to where the boy lay, turning him over to check for a pulse. A long moment later proved a very small, weak pulse still beat within the blonde, his chest rising and falling ever so slightly to support the evidence. Gabriel took him into his arms, cradling his head gently as he pulled Adrien onto his lap when the reality of what happened came crashing down. An undignified sob escaped the father's lips as his eyes traveled across the boy's figure, noting all the cuts, bruises, lumps, and all the blood that now covered him. Everything, whether he was possessed by some unseen force or not, it was _**all** his fault._

He pulled the unconscious boy into him, brushing hair from his eyes and blood from his cheek with gentle swipes of the thumb, all the while wishing it would repair the damage. He continued the sorrowful, love filled gestures, hoping that by some miracle the injury caused wasn't permanent. If Adrien could never find it in his heart to love him again, that would be alright. If the boy wanted to leave and never see him again, Gabriel could accept that. He just wanted his son to be alright. To survive. Recover. But the boy didn't move. His eyes wouldn't open. He just laid there, unknowingly reclined against his grieving, inconsolable father who wept over him.

* * *

 _A/N: So yeah, I really couldn't justify a happy ending to this. I played around with different ideas but nothing felt right, so you get this ending instead. Alas, as with many of the other shorts, not all endings are happy ones._


	12. Transformation

_A/N: After the last chapter, I wanted to go with a happier theme. It's still dark, per usual, but the resolution is more pleasing._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 12: Transformation**_

 _Chat saves Gabriel from a terrorist attack. The beginning dialogue is mostly inspired from the episode "Jackady". Me thinks Jackady is my favorite episode so far._

* * *

Surprisingly, for all the pandemonium, no one had yet been injured. Employees frantically exited the large building in mass, but not so un-orderly that anyone had fallen to the ground or been trampled, which by Chat's reckoning was a miracle only due to Ladybug's ability to appeal to the people to maintain some sense of calmness. Ladybug was leading the issue of mass warning and assisting those who were unable to help themselves, such as the elderly or otherwise handicapped. Meanwhile, Chat found himself futilely arguing with the most belligerent man he had ever dealt with in his life. His own father.

"Get out! It's not safe here!"

"I don't receive orders from _anyone_ , not even from a superhero."

"Now you're running the same risks as anyone else. Stop thinking you're above everyone else and _do as I say!_ "

Gabriel gaped at him and as frustrated as Adrien was, he didn't quite anticipate standing up to his father in such a manner. The masked boy watched the man cautiously, waiting for his reaction. But instead of lashing back, Gabriel paused, putting his fingers to his chin as a memory came to mind.

"Quite a temper, you remind me of someone. . ."

"Is that right?" Chat grumbled back. "Let's go!" he demanded again, grabbing Gabriel's wrist as he proceeded to drag him toward the main entrance.

Gabriel stopped immediately, tearing his arm from Chat's grasp.

"I won't say it again, I will leave when I feel like a _real_ threat has been made."

"It's a _bomb_ threat!" Chat exclaimed angrily, throwing his hands in the air. "What do _you_ think is considered _a threat?!_ And in case you forgot, an explosion _already_ went off just down the street!"

"All the more reason to-"

The next few seconds of Adrien's life felt like a _lifetime_.

A high pitched beeping echoed in his ears, barely audible above the noise of rapid footfalls and panicked chatter. He glanced down at his ring with a start to find all of the pads were still green, but then it dawned on him. Without another thought, he launched himself at Gabriel, wrapping his arms around the man's shoulders as he took him down. A blast ripped through the air followed by screams, violently forcing all matter out of its wake and Chat felt himself thrown back suddenly. Sharp pain shredded into the entirety of his right side instantaneously and he crashed to the ground on top of the man, all sensations becoming lost on impact as his world went black.

Gabriel looked around the dust filled room in a daze, his ears ringing loudly, muffling the cries and shouts surrounding him. He groaned as he pushed himself from the ground to find the cat boy covering the side of his body that had been closest to the epicenter of the blast. Almost half of the hero's outfit was torn from his body which was now drenched in blood as portions of his subcutaneous skin was exposed, splinters of wood, metal, and various other debris cutting into his arm, face, and torso. The teen's breaths were severely labored and sweat poured from the unburned areas of his skin. The silver haired man grimaced at the boy's appearance wondering what in the world could have compelled him to protect a single complete stranger in such a manner.

A flash of green light blinded Gabriel momentarily when the teen suddenly transformed from the leather-clad cat boy to the more than familiar identity of his own son. Adrien. The incessant cat boy who had been ordering him around. Gabriel's eyes blew wide in horror at the sight of his mortally wounded son laying unconscious atop him. He pushed a bloodied hand across his forehead, pushing back some silver hair from his eyes and the headache that throbbed against his temple as he sat up more, shifting his legs under him as he carefully repositioned Adrien. Noticing the little black cat kwami on the floor at his side, he quickly gathered him up, tucking the kwami into a pocket before trying to stand. Vertigo threatened to send him back to the broken tile below him as he struggled to pull the teen into his arms. Gritting his teeth defiantly, he forced in a deep breath in an attempt to get his body under control again. Now wasn't the time to be useless.

He staggered arduously to his feet, keeping Adrien's body tight against his chest as he drunkenly made his way through the cluttered room, quickly passing over rubble and other injured victims. Great effort was made to block out the horrific cries and screams emanating around him. Gabriel wanted to cry too and it took every last fiber of his being to keep himself from breaking down and sobbing. Tears stung at the corners of his irritated eyes as he wandered through the clouded lobby of the office building, searching desperately for the entrance, hoping that emergency personnel had finally arrived. But he was deluding himself.

As he searched the room, it was becoming more and more apparent that there were too many injuries to count, and surely more than he could see. When help did arrive the paramedics would have to evaluate the scene and triage the victims. Adrien's state was severe enough he might be considered nearly dead and therefore left for someone who had a better chance of survival. . . Angry tears broke the dam and ran down Gabriel's aged face, now looking more old and worn than ever. He could buy privilege, he told himself. There wasn't anything he hadn't been able to buy before, whether it was time or priority. But with the current state of things, he advised himself that there was no way even his prestige would help Adrien's situation considering there had already been another attack just before. There needed to be a tremendous increase in medical personnel and supplies if Adrien would be saved.

His eyes darted once more around the scene when he then identified his location within the lobby. He turned around, darting purposefully past the central staircase, coming to a room with its door slightly ajar. Quickly peeking his head inside, he found the room to be vacant. Gabriel stealthily entered the room, closing the door behind him with a foot before proceeding to the far end. The thought to lay Adrien down as he worked crossed his mind, but he immediately pushed the thought away as fear reminded him this might be the last time he held the boy. He sucked in a deep breath as he tried to collect himself, expelling the tears that continued threatening his vision.

"Nooroo," he said evenly. A purple kwami appeared from the interior of his blazer. "Transform me!"

A purple light shrouded the man's features resulting in him being fully clad in a purple suit. White butterflies swarmed the windows of the room, breaking through the glass as they rushed through in a large wave. This power was rather convenient. A small gasp alerted his attention back down to Adrien, whereupon he noted the boy's rapidly paling skin and the blood quickly saturating his fresh suit. Despite his lack of consciousness, the teen was clearly still feeling the agony of his severely damaged nerves. Gabriel needed to work quickly.

He extended his consciousness, easily identifying the sadness and grief that flooded the surrounding area. But that's not what he needed. No, he redirected his focus to bystanders and those who were less injured, desperately wishing they could help. As he spread his thoughts, he found many an onlooker watching the news with great concern as replays and live footage of the disaster flicked across screens throughout Paris. There were so many who fit his his stipulations, and within a close proximity. This was perfect. The butterflies exited the room as a giant mass, passing through the broken windows or breaking through the door as they dashed straight for their successors.

Hundreds of white butterflies touched down and fused into the clothing or skin of hundreds of people simultaneously when a voice echoed through each individual's mind.

"Legion," Gabriel instructed, "I am Papillon. I grant you the power to achieve your desire to help those who have been injured. Go, and heal those who have suffered from these attacks."

Gabriel staggered as his knees suddenly buckled. He stuttered a gasp.

"D-de-transformation."

The purple kwami spiraled from the hold of the broach on Gabriel's collar as his original outfit was restored, a tie now covering the deep plum broach. Gabriel fell to his knees as he panted, sweat now pouring down his face as he shook with fatigue.

"Master," the timid kwami squeaked, "you know how much energy it takes to imbue someone with powers. And with so many at one time. . . That was quite reckle-"

"Yes, Nooroo," Gabriel interjected. "I am aware."

"And you're not exactly-"

"Nooroo."

"But-"

Gabriel tiredly raised an impatient stare at the kwami floating above him.

"That was very admirable of you, Gabriel," Nooroo finished, adding a bow.

The silver haired man cast a sidelong glance.

"It was purely selfish."

Of course it was selfish, he had only done it to save Adrien. If it weren't for him in the first place, Adrien might not have been injured. But Gabriel was stubborn, and he knew it. He had proudly rebuffed the cat boy's advice, the boy who was his son. Even if Chat Noir hadn't been his son, he still resisted a reasonable petition. But Adrien was Chat, and as a result, Adrien had taken the blow instead of him, all because he wanted to protect his stubborn, failure of a father. If Adrien had still been conscious, he would have been out there helping the other people. It was only right that Gabriel owed that much to him as well.

Nooroo shook his head. "That- is something we can discuss later."

Gabriel nodded, blinking away the tears that had again formed along his eyelids, motioning to his blazer to which Nooroo bowed before returning to his hiding place. Resolved to get back into a public vicinity, the man tried to get to his feet again, nearly causing himself to fall on his face and Adrien in the process. That wasn't going to work, his legs just wouldn't cooperate anymore and he could feel himself becoming lightheaded. It wasn't that far to the door, he told himself, dragging his knees across the floor as he shuffled back the way he came. Blood now passed through the thick fabric of his blazer next to a portion of his shoulder that had been torn open by the blast. From the looks of things, blood had stained the collar of his shirt as well, meaning his face must be damaged too. Funny, he hadn't noticed it before. That must be why he felt so completely exhausted. The thought crossed his mind just before he felt himself pitch forward, moving in time to extend his arms and prevent himself from landing on Adrien.

He landed to the floor with a grunt, turning onto his side to look around. They had somehow managed to get to the doorway, which was fortunately broken open completely thanks to the help of his butterflies. He prayed silently that _someone_ would find Adrien, dazedly dragging himself closer to where the blonde laid sprawled. Carefully wiggling an arm under the boy's head as he curled the other arm around his back, he cradled Adrien's face under his chin. Even if it was just barely, the boy was still breathing, and for that, Gabriel was eternally grateful.

Now he had done everything in his power.

Now, he could cry.

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 _A/N: Despite the subject matter, I felt this one to be refreshing. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and reviewing!_


	13. Upside-down

_A/N: Sorry for the lack of activity lately. Been struggling to come up with scenarios that I could actually develop. Thanks for all your comments and reviews so far. Hope you enjoy this installation._

 _ **Chapter 13: Upside-down**_

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A thick cloud of dust fogged the rubble cluttered room, large streams of moonlight poured in through a gaping hole of what used to be a large circular window, dancing over the particles as it illuminated the remains of the battle. Sounds of broken bricks periodically thudding dully against the floor echoed across the ruins of the chamber and reverberated against Adrien's eardrums as he knelt, bracing himself with his hands against the ground as he recovered from a coughing fit. Adrenaline still surged through his body, rivulets of sweat streaming down his face mixed with blood and dripped on the floor beneath him as he gaped at the sight before his eyes. The once purple clad Hawkmoth whom now laid prostrate mere meters from him had been revealed, revealed to be the one and only Gabriel Agreste. The man he had been fighting all along, was his own-

"Fa-father."

Adrien found his voice catch in the back of his throat from the shock, abruptly stopping any other comments laying in wait. Ladybug who crouched behind him let out a gasp of alarm as what was likely her yo-yo clattered to the ground. Adrien wasn't sure if her reaction came from the man's identity, from his own reaction, or a combination of the two. It hardly mattered anyway, as his ring let out a final warning and a green light enveloped him, ending his transformation as Chat and reverting him back to Adrien Agreste as Plagg came tumbling out of the miraculous.

A pain induced gasp sucked its way between the boy's lips as he careened forward, his arm collapsing beneath him as the added strength from his kwami left him. His forearm, it seemed had broken cleanly in two just above the wrist and was far from capable of supporting his weight. Ladybug made a noise behind him, but he chose to ignore it, pulling the weakened Plagg into a pocket and cradling his broken limb against his chest before he righted himself on his knees again. Without hesitation, he then shuffled over to where Gabriel lay, not daring to trust his judgment without getting a closer look. Having struck his head against the wall when Chat and Ladybug finally managed to remove his miraculous, the man remained unconscious and stationary as a result, but as Adrien closed the gap between them, it was abundantly clear that he had been right all along. The all too familiar face, figure, and clothing. . . all of it. Unless there was a perfect clone of his father, it couldn't be anyone else.

Nausea writhed in the pit of his stomach, thrashing like an angry snake against his abdomen as the implications of the revelation hit him like a truck. The Hawkmoth they'd been fighting all this time. . . the one who started this entire mess in the first place by launching attacks on them and the entire city of Paris. The man who hurt him and his lady, the man who was in turn now wounded by Adrien's own hand. . . A small pool of blood glowed faintly in the moonlight along side the man, provoking the boy's gag reflex which only resulted in a full vomit.

All the hate Adrien had for Hawkmoth had instantly been reduced to a confusing, messy pile of betrayal and remorse. It was like the world had been turned on its head in the last few minutes alone, his entire reality crashing down around him just like the shattered window. Everything he thought he knew wasn't true. The evil Hawkmoth was the man he loved and admired. While Gabriel had grown more distant with the disappearance of his mother, Adrien still wanted to please and make him happier, always trying to bring back the father he once knew. Yet somehow, Gabriel had been warped into a man with an insatiable desire for power, finding a miraculous power and bending it to shape his will. In becoming Hawkmoth, his father had hurt him on hundreds of occasions, and Ladybug, and countless others. . . and now, this had happened.

All of the injuries he had sustained in his time as Chat Noir combined couldn't equate to the pain that currently ripped his heart into shreds. Tears blinded his view as he reached toward Gabriel's blazer, gripping a shaky handful of the lapel's material in his fist as he pulled himself to hover over the man.

"How-" came Adrien's voice softly, but his his fist trembled with aggression. "Why-? What could. . ." His thoughts fired at a million per minute, not giving him enough time to contemplate even a single one for a sufficient amount of time as to come to any remote conclusion. Fat tears carved trenches down his crimson, grime coated cheeks before rolling off his chin and spattering on the man's suit.

"Father-"

He collapsed again, this time crumpling against Gabriel's chest as he let out an agonized scream. Uncontrollable sobs racked his core as he pulled at the suit like an infant child, choking and gasping between episodes before cycling anew, wondering frantically what he could have- should have done differently to have prevented this from ever happening. Bright spots speckled the backs of eyelids that were crammed as tightly shut as physically possible while a ringing pitch sang in the boy's ears, but his sobbing didn't stop. He couldn't stop. It hurt. So. _Much._ Like his heart could literally burst at any moment. Adrien wanted his father to open his eyes and tell him it was all just a nightmare. But it wasn't. Nothing would ever change the fact that Gabriel Agreste had been Hawkmoth or that Adrien had so injured him. Nothing.

-nothing-

Adrien blinked groggily at the various gray shapes in his tunneled view. His head spun madly, and he couldn't quite tell if he was laying down or falling. Something shifted around him, now seemingly aware that he had awoken. A small amount of color bled through the gray and Adrien found he wasn't laying or falling, but was actually leaning against something- rather, someone. A stained, striped tie partially covered by a vest and surrounded by a jacket came into clarity. Adrien found a pair of arms wrapped around him tightly and a hand nestling the back of his head against the rising and falling motions of a chest. Looking up, he came to find the bloodied, fatigue worn face of his father.

After staring blankly at him for a moment, tears welled up at the boy's lids upon full awareness, spilling over as he cried again, burying his face back into the man's chest. He didn't know what to say and he couldn't bear to look at him right now. Fortunately, his father seemed to lack the words as well. Adrien just wanted to cry, and surprisingly, his father didn't seem to mind. Instead, the man pulled Adrien closer to him, rocking back and forth in small motions as if in a weak attempt to soothe him. The blonde sniffled as the fluids poured from his face, when something else wet dripped on the side of his face. Then again. And again.

The teen chanced a glance upward to find tears now streaking down his father's face, a quivering frown and creased eyes to accompany. More tears escaped the blonde as he shifted, working his uninjured arm partially around Gabriel's back into a half hug. The man responded in kind, placing his chin atop Adrien's head when a small sob parted Gabriel's lips. And so they cried together, with an understanding that things could not be how they had once been and that they would never be quite the same ever again. While all looked bleak, however, they took comfort in knowing that the other was alive. The permanence of death had yet to separate them. They still had a chance to make things right.

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 _A/N: A half reveal, of sorts. xD Thinking about a Gabriel point of view for this one, though it might be too similar to other scenarios. We'll see. What do you guys think? Thanks again for reading and reviewing._


	14. Curiosity Killed The Chat

_Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. Holidays happened, but before that my hard drive died and I lost all of my files (since I was silly and didn't back them up on the cloud. xD ) So now, I've mostly recovered but there will still be delays on Noir and Rehabilitation, so consider those on hiatus for now._ _Additionally, I **love**_ _season two so far. Season one was fun, but two has so much more depth for the characters so far. I hope they can keep it going. Anyway, thanks for sticking around. I hope you all enjoy this chapter._

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 _ **Chapter 14: Curiosity Killed the Chat**_

 _Adrien discovers Hawkmoth's secret chamber._

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It had been by complete accident. Adrien had been mulling over the idea of asking his father for permission to take part in an off campus field trip. He had been standing just outside his father's office, debating what to say and _how_ to present his case. Gabriel Agreste had proven to be unsupportive of extracurricular activities that weren't already part of his son's repertoire, and field trips were the worst offender of them all. That's why Adrien continued to pace behind the slightly ajar door to the office when he heard a strange 'click'. He told himself he shouldn't snoop. After all, it was none of his business. But he let curiosity get the better of him, peeking into the space between the double doors to find Gabriel pressing his fingers against the portrait of Mrs. Agreste in an peculiar fashion. A portion of the floor in front of the painting then opened up to reveal a circular hole to which a platform rose up to occupy. Gabriel stepped onto the platform to then be sucked into the depths of the floor to who knows where.

Adrien watched as the hole closed again after Gabriel's decent, restoring the floor to a plain surface with nothing unusual about it. Except there was something unusual about it, and Adrien couldn't help but wonder where the secret passage led to. And so the blonde haired boy thought about his discovery throughout the remainder of the evening. Thoroughly distracted through the entirety of his solitary dinner, Adrien couldn't shake the scene that had played out before him in the previous hours. Plagg wasn't the least bit helpful either. The kwami simply fed his curiosity, musing about the potential contents hidden therein, saying it would be easy to sneak into at night when his father was asleep. The teen disregarded him however with a shake of his head saying that if his father had a secret, it was probably kept that way for a reason and they had no business poking their noses into it. So he dismissed himself and got into bed at the usual time, pulled up the covers, and shut his eyes.

But he couldn't sleep.

The curiosity within him had become all but insatiable causing his to toss and turn relentlessly. The only way to rid himself of his nagging thoughts was to give into the troublemaking cat kwami's pleads and incessant whining and actually go check it out. So they did. Adrien quietly creeped out of his his room after a couple of hours had passed, closing the door gently behind him before tiptoeing silently down the hall. As he'd assumed and much to his relief, not a soul was about the dark, spacious mansion. The staff had gone home for the night, and the door to his father's room was shut indicating he had retired for the night as well. Adrien stealthily snuck into the office finding the light of the moon to be just bright enough to illuminate the painting. Playing the memory back through his mind, Adrien copied the position his father's fingers had been in with his own and pressed, causing a small click to resonate through the otherwise unoccupied room.

As before, a small, dark, circular space opened up and a platform rose to greet him. Plagg and Adrien stared at the small opening for a moment and Adrien's stomach churned excitedly. The black kwami stared up at him momentarily before hissing something about taking forever, so Adrien swallowed the lump at his throat and stepped onto the platform. Almost immediately after he had straightened up, the elevator sunk below the ground. After dropping what felt like a couple of stories, the platform zipped along an extremely narrow hallway, clicking in place when it met another dead end before shooting upward again. Adrien looked up to find a rapidly approaching ceiling which retracted once he reached it, opening up into a large, dimly lit room. A small stream of moonlight shot into the room from a tiny opening in the center of the far wall, faintly illuminating the surroundings. Adrien squinted around what appeared to be a round room, devoid of any furnishings with the exception of a single pedestal. Plagg darted from the inside of Adrien's shirt pocket.

"Maybe he just comes here to meditate?" the entity suggested with a snarky chuckle.

Adrien didn't reply but continued to walk about the area, combing all sides of the pillar for any trace of a hidden button or something. When he didn't find anything, he moved to the edge of the room, dragging his fingertips along its surface as he made his way around the room.

"But why would he have a hidden room with nothing in it?"

Adrien cut his remark short when a sudden whirring sound started up behind him and the elevator platform suddenly disappeared. The teen cursed under his breath as he darted to the edge of the room, as far from the light as he could get. It was plenty dark in the room so if he remained still, he was pretty sure he could remain undetected. He wanted to transform to enhance his night vision, but if he was found, Chat Noir would never be able to use the same excuse that Adrien could possibly get away with.

"Father is up, at this time of night?!"

"Hey, if it's your old man," Plagg whispered, "we might get a chance to figure out what he does down here."

Adrien hissed sharply to silence Plagg who ducked inside the edge of his overshirt turning to peek out from his cover when a tall figure emerged from the elevator entrance. The man strode to the center of the room, seemingly mumbling to himself as he did so. The voice was clearly that of his father. Adrien held his breath, straining to hear past the rapid heart beat resonating against his chest as he waited with mounting anxiety. Plagg felt even quieter than any other time he had been silent, making Adrien all the more jittery. The faint light of the moon showed Gabriel pressing something at his feet to activate the small window to expand into a large circular opening like the aperture of a camera. Now lit with the full light of the moon, pulling the lapel of his blazer back as if he was going to take it off, something not much larger than the size of a tennis ball floated in front of the man.

"Nooroo," the father's voice came.

Plagg's eyes bulged from his head but Adrien didn't notice, being fixated instead on the man and what he could have that could possibly levitate. Whatever it was had a name and that was eerily disconcerting.

"Transform me!"

The exclamation came as Gabriel raised his fists into the air, spread at an angle that almost appeared like wings might sprout from them and he'd lift into the air. A bright purple flash washed over his figure and Adrien watched in mute horror as his father warped before his eyes. 'Transform me'. He knew those words all too well. They were the two words Adrien used on a daily basis when he changed into his superhero alter ego. Why his father would ever use them when Adrien knew there was no way the man was Ladybug meant there was another hero in town whom he hadn't met. But that made no sense. Why would his father have a kwami and still be unknown to either him or Ladybug.

Adrien's confusion suddenly became all too clear.

Before him, despite the light of the moon, it was apparent that the man was now dressed head to toe in a deep purple. A cane that had appeared from out of nowhere now rested in the man's gloved hands as the central gap in the window let in a mass of white butterflies which filled the room with light now glistening off their tiny wings.

"Father!"

Adrien's voice came from him before he could stop it, and he found himself extending his hand toward the man, suddenly stepping into the light toward him. He felt sick. His insides churned madly when the startled man turned to face him, light glinting off the butterfly shaped broach at his collar. The man was none other than Hawkmoth, the villain Adrien and his Ladybug had been fighting to stop for the past year. And Hawkmoth whose identity had remained a long kept secret up until this point now stood before him, revealed without a shadow of a doubt to be his own father. Ladybug had supposed the man to Hawkmoth a little over a month ago, and now he had confirmed his worst nightmare- was the truth.

"Ho- How could you, how is this-?"

His voice caught at the back of his throat as memories of all the fights over the past year of his life flashed through his mind. All the times his friends and classmates had been threatened, the many occasions he or Ladybug had been injured. . . all of the people who had suffered from the influence of Hawkmoth. It had all been at the hands of his own father. The man he strove to reach out to, only to be pushed away. How could he possibly be accountable for all the evil that had taken place in the recent past? Adrien felt tears gather at his eyelids, threatening to spill over with a choking sob as Adrien felt himself crumble, collapsing to his knees unceremoniously before the man could respond.

"Adrien," the man replied evenly, his demeanor far calmer than the teen had anticipated.

The blonde looked up through the gloss of the tears, daring to hope that by some chance he had been wrong. That by some chance, the man standing before him wasn't his father but an invader, and unwelcome guest who just sounded like him. But as the man stared back at him, Adrien could see his eyes were the same. They contained the same gray, timeworn sadness that haunted those of his father's day in and day out. And those eyes that were full of hurt cut Adrien far deeper than any knife ever could. The tears spilled down the boy's cheeks as he looked up at the man in dumbfounded disbelief, shaking furiously with adrenaline that was the only thing keeping him from screaming.

"Adrien," the masked man said again, stooping down to the boy's level to brush the tears from his cheek. "I know you don't understand, but everything will be okay. I will _make_ it all okay."

Adrien gaped at him, shaking his head mutely in denial, pulling himself back in order to separate himself from the man who had once been his father. Gabriel frowned at this before reaching to a shimmering white butterfly sitting next to the boy, scooping it into his palm.

"You can help me," he continued, placing his other hand overtop the butterfly, and Adrien watched as dark energy collected between the man's hands. "Together, we can make this right."

An unearthly black butterfly now sat in the man's hand, flitting calmly before Adrien.

"N- no."

Adrien's voice came weakly, broken with his will, it was all he could say before the butterfly departed from Gabriel's hold, fluttering toward the silver ring on his finger. The teen stuttered backward in a futile attempt to avoid the insect's grasp, but a moment was all it took for the insect to touch the small metal band. Then, the unthinkable happened. The butterfly brushed against the object only to be repelled as if by some invisible force. Father and son watched as the butterfly fluttered about, returning again to its target only to be denied a second time. Gabriel's brow knit in confusion as he stared at the faulty akuma, then to the ring, and back to the eyes of Adrien. Gabriel's lips rounded to form a question, but the boy interjected.

"I will- I will _not_ help you, father," Adrien replied again, this time stronger, his fear and grief dissipating into the cool night air. "You don't need _help_. You need to be _stopped_."

With that, he stood suddenly, feeling braver and more resolved than he ever had. Glaring down at the man crouched at his feet, he blinked the remaining tears from his eyes and whipped his hand to his side.

"Plagg, transform me!"

Bathed in a green light, Adrien watched with fleeting satisfaction as Hawkmoth's expression fall when his transformation took place. The man he loved as his father now tainted by power, fell to the floor in witless awe to the revelation of Chat Noir.

Crashing through the observatory window, Adrien plummeted with the ringing of shards of glass to the ground below. Sticking his landing, he ran into the night, not looking back for fear his resolve might shatter. Adrien still didn't know what drove the man to such lengths, but as Chat Noir, he would put a stop to it. All of it. He wouldn't return until he was certain he could save him. He would break his father of whatever spell possessed him, with the hope that he could free and return him to the man he once was.

More tears escaped him as he ran away that night. There was no consolation to be found in the moment or even the near future, but hope kept him running. The hope that someday, by some means, his father Gabriel Agreste would be stopped and restored to the father he loved.

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 _So, this is definitely one of those chapters that could have a follow up. Let me know in the comments if you'd like to see more to this plot or let me know if you have any ideas or scenarios you'd like to see me write. Thanks for reading. :)_


	15. Longing For The Past

_A/N: Hey guys! It's definitely been a while since my last update. I hope you're loving season two like I am so far. I don't mean to keep making these into multi-chapter tales, but I thought of an idea to play off of the previous chapter. This one still has something of a conclusion, so I may or may not branch off of this one as well._

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 ** _Chapter 15: Longing For the Past_**

 _Sequel to Chapter 14: Curiosity Killed the Chat. After learning his identity, Chat is on the run from Hawkmoth._

* * *

Chat rubbed his bright red, green eyes. They were dry and tired, and it didn't remotely help that it was now past lunch and he still hadn't eaten anything since the night before. Since the late hours of the previous night, he'd been on the run. Running from Hawkmoth- running from his father. As Nathalie and the Gorilla were surely out looking for him to bring him back to the mansion, he chose not to attend school that day. The blonde rolled his eyes at the thought. No. Just anticipating his caretakers was a thick underestimation. It wasn't just them looking for him. Gabriel had certainly called the police force by now, and more than likely created an akuma or two to do his bidding and search for him as well. Remaining undiscovered until he could find Ladybug was paramount, so he stayed on the rooftops, moving to a new location every half hour or so to avoid any civilian sightings or reports to the authorities.

In hindsight, Adrien only regretted snooping in his father's business. Sure, now he could find the villain at a moment's notice, but now that his father knew his identity as well, he would never be able to return home. Living under the same roof with his mortal enemy, the man he'd been fighting for more than a year- it just couldn't work. His father wanted the power Adrien had sworn to protect. Whatever blinded the man to such a degree would put Adrien all the more a risk if he tried to simply coexist. It was guaranteed that his father would impose a whole myriad of new rules and stipulations to keep Adrien in check and by now he had probably devised a way to separate the teen from his miraculous. And even as neglectful as Gabriel had been within the past couple years, Adrien couldn't fathom the idea of his father resorting to abuse or torture. However, now that he knew the man was behind all the destruction that had recently befallen the city, his confidence was only a margin away from shattering entirely.

Adrien shook his head rapidly as he pulled his thoughts from the bleak darkness and back to the present. Blue lights flashing in his peripheral accompanied by the approaching wail of sirens indicated that it was time to retreat again. He let out a tired sigh before shooting his baton into the roof at his feet, launching himself in the opposite direction as he darted away from the scene. He retracted the baton after landing, opening the phone device to check for any possibly missed messages from Ladybug. The log was still empty. He grimaced and sighed again as he continued to run, reminding himself that Ladybug would likely only come out before their nightly patrol's in the event of an akuma attack of which. . . hadn't happened yet. He contemplated as he sprang from one building to the next. That would be the easiest way to find him as Chat Noir, wouldn't it? Unleash an akuma, Ladybug and Chat show up to save the day. 'Tah dah!' Instant knowledge of the cat boy's whereabouts. An uneasy pit knotted his stomach causing his run to stutter into a meandering halt.

Of course it'd be easier. Easier that is, if Hawkmoth wanted to find _both_ of them. If Ladybug was kept in the dark and continued thinking that today was an akuma free day, Hawkmoth would have to search longer, yes, but he would _have longer_ to search and could apprehend one hero instead of two. One was likely all he wanted right now anyway. Perhaps this was all part of a greater scheme. Considering that Adrien was well versed with his father's method of action taken whenever he stayed out too long or left the house unannounced, he could safely assume Gabriel would count on the use of said knowledge. He wouldn't need to even suggest that Chat had taken Adrien. If the teen wasn't at school, the police would locate him somewhere in the public, so of course Adrien would remain Chat Noir and stay out of the eye of the media. In actively avoiding the public, Chat would seek solitude at the borders of the city, easily narrowing Hawkmoth's search by more than ninety percent. Using akumas, he could hunt down and subdue the defiant superhero without risk of drawing unwanted attention, so long as the akumas were directed not to attack anyone else or cause any damage along the way. Adrien could feel his heart rate increase.

But then again, maybe he was worried about nothing. After all, now that Hawkmoth knew that Adrien was Chat, maybe he'd want to make amends. Perhaps Adrien fleeing from home was enough to jar his father's perception of the whole battle for the miraculous. He did express his great concern for him as Adrien after he and Ladybug had saved him from being The Collector. That being said, taking his akumatized episode into consideration only further supported the side of him being consumed with the lust for power, seeing as how he went to such lengths to stay under the radar. Strong evidence suggested that Gabriel wouldn't just let this go. And whether he still sought the miraculous or not, he would still try to find his son. His father was coming for him regardless his preference. It was just a matter of time.

Adrien looked up to notice a couple of misty figures now closely approaching him. They seemed to weave in and out with their surroundings making them difficult to discern from the architecture or the sky. He had found him, and the sinking feeling in his chest told him they wasn't to make amends. Chat muttered a curse under his breath as he brandished the baton in his defense, wishing he had managed to find clarity of mind hours ago to avoid walking into the most obvious of set ups. But if he _could_ take those hours back, he would take back the entirety of the previous evening instead, forcing himself to remain in a blissful state of unawareness. Damn his blasted curiosity.

"Son."

Adrien hesitated for a moment as he heard his father's voice emanate from the collective trio causing his grip on his baton to slacken. The black, shadowy figures surrounded him silently, approaching and closing in from separate angles. Chat then bristled, pupils narrowing as he strengthened his resolve and handle of his weapon.

"Son?" Adrien repeated with a forced smirk. "I'll have you know, my father looks nothing like any of you guys." He would never admit it. Adrien was terrified. Playing the facade was the only thing he could muster in the moment, and if there was ever a time he needed his false confidence, it was now. "What do you want?" Chat addressed the figure at the center of the three, pointing his baton toward it.

"Why, I'm only seeking the undying loyalty and support of my own flesh and blood. How could you just run from your own father without allowing me an explanation?"

Chat scoffed bitterly as his eyes cast into a scowl at the debris on the roof. "What's there to explain? You have no excuse."

"You misunderstand me. I would like an explanation from _you._ You have access to such power, all this time, yet you never told me?"

Adrien's brow wrinkled against his mask. "I could just as well say the same about **you** ," he shouted, suddenly turning to lunge at the figure in front of him as he smacked his baton downward.

The end of the metal rod struck the surface of the roof, ringing quietly from the impact. The akuma hadn't moved, the baton having traveled right through it as if passing through smoke. Misty darkness fluttered back together almost instantaneously, becoming apparent that which made up the shadowy figure was not a human, but a collection of lightless butterflies. It was reminiscent of the battle with Stone Heart. At the end of the battle, Hakwkmoth appeared in the form of a giant speaking head made up entirely of butterflies and spoke through them in a similar fashion to the being now before Chat. Yet, there was something distinctly different about this in comparison to Hawkmoth's previous persona. Aside from manifesting itself in three seperate bodies, the shadow emitted a threatening pressure that made Adrien himself feel heavy. He staggered backward, away from the akuma who remained still, staring at it in dread confusion as he mouthed the word 'how'. A deep chuckle resonated from all sides making Adrien's heart jump to his throat as his eyes darted wildly about while his body turned in circles in an attempt to evaluate his targets.

"You know," came the voice again from the three as they began to pace in a circle around the boy, "I can't say I'm entirely convinced that you _are_ Adrien. He's such a good son. A little stubborn at times perhaps, but nothing compared to your shamelessly unruly behavior, _Chat Noir_."

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry to be such a disappointment," Chat growled, biting back at the sweep of emotion pricking at the corners of his eyes. "If you think _I'm_ a disappointment, just imagine what it's like to find your own _father_ has been terrorizing all of Paris for his own _personal_ _ **gain**_ _!_ "

Without warning, the shadows collided with Adrien, smothering him as he collapsed to his knees. Chat gasped madly as if the wind had been knocked out of him as he struggled to pull away, to then have his torso and face shoved into the clay tile beneath him. The tiles broke on impact, digging into his exposed cheeks and forehead, coaxing blood to exit his skin. The teen wriggled unsuccessfully against the invisible weight, clawing at the roof to no avail when he noticed his arms tingled. Looking more closely, it was apparent they were becoming transparent. He yelped in surprise, digging his claws into the shingles, tearing the pieces away in a mad effort to escape. Desperate for a distraction, he flung the broken shards behind him but the mass simply passed out of the path of the debris and back to their resting place.

"You can make this easier on yourself, Chat Noir," the voice reverberated over him. "Remove your miraculous now or stop struggling. I am simply making you easier to transport without attracting attention."

"Tch," Chat spat. "Even if you _were_ able to get my miraculous, I won't return home now. Not _ever._ "

"And there you go again. You make it sound as if the son I had still exists," the voice replied, darkening in tone with each word that sounded.

Chat's hands now melted into nothing before his very eyes. He could still feel them, still dragging and scraping into the rooftop under him, but they had become completely invisible. The teen let out a yell as he exerted himself, making a last ditch effort to free himself from the shadow that bound him only to crumple again under the crushing force of the akumas' power. He could try using his cataclysm, but to what extent? The roof would break, and he'd fall. There was no guarantee that the akuma would be even remotely affected by a terrain change, and it posed more threat to him if the weight upon him were to fall as well. A weak gasp escaped him and he could only imagine the invisible force was now overtaking his core. Slamming his eyes shut, he forced a cry, a final demand that might subdue the monster.

"Detransformation!"

In an instant, a green light enveloped him and Adrien felt even flatter than before. Now feeling the full effect of the akuma without Plagg's protection, a laborious wheeze escaped him and Adrien watched as his world became black. The transformation dissipated. Praying for death, Adrien suddenly found himself released from the being that held him. His lungs sucked in a deep, sputtering gasp before letting out a series of hacking coughs. Slapping his still transparent arms against the roof, Adrien flipped himself onto his back, chest heaving as though he'd just been dragged from water. His bangs stuck to his blood and sweat stung face, keeping his hair a little more 'Chat-like' in the way it framed his face. As the boy's vision returned, Adrien could see the shadows had retreated slightly, unmoving with the exception of the butterflies that continued to pulse to and fro. Noticing this, Adrien scrambled back, putting some distance between him and the menacing insects.

"Adrien-" the voices said softly in unison.

Plagg fluttered to a plop on Adrien's outstretched leg, to which the teen scooped him up without hesitation, placing him in the protective cover of his inner pocket when he looked back up to the shadows.

"Yeah," Adrien scoffed quietly. "What did you expect?" His gaze drifted to the side again when his disappointment started to resurface. Blinking back the tears that threatened to spill over, Adrien expertly returned his mask of apathy and cast the akuma a glare. "Now what?"

The mass of cursed insects hovered without response. Adrien looked at them curiously, cautiously checking his peripherals for any potential avenue of escape when the collective shifted, drawing his attention back to the akuma.

"There will be no debate. You will return home this instant."

"And if I don't agree to your wishes, will you smother me again until I pass out?" Adrien snapped back.

A deaf pause hung in the air.

"Adrien. I don't care for this newfound defiance."

"Yeah, well I don't care for my father the tyrant," Adrien shouted back, gnashing his teeth in his reply.

He stood quickly, struggling to right himself as the blood rushed back into his legs. After a brief pause and a deep breath, he glared again at the shadows. They appeared to hesitate, making small motions as if Hawkmoth was doubting himself. Adrien glanced to the next building over. He couldn't just stay here, and he wasn't sure how much longer Gabriel would remain phased by the renewed revelation. If he didn't act now, there was no telling what the akuma would do.

Without hesitation, Adrien made a beeline toward the next building. The akumas' combined protests chorused behind him as he made a desperate leap. His fingertips just managed to brush the surface of his intended goal when gravity overwhelmed him, cutting his leap significantly short of that of Chat's. A wild panic blew Adrien's eyes wide as he clawed at the wall for purchase, only to scrape futilely against the tiny divots in the bricks as he plummeted downward. With little time to react, he called out to Plagg. A sharp, ripping jerk caught his arm, suddenly stopping his summon with a high pitched yelp as he struck the guardrail of an external staircase. Shredding the seam of his sleeve apart when his body continued moving downward, a white hot pain seared from his arm into his torso as he felt his limb dislocate at the shoulder abruptly before his body boomeranged uncontrollably underneath the platform. Upon crumpling to the lower level, the teen's head collided with the platform's railing, eliciting an involuntary grunt as he flopped against the metal grate dazedly. Adrien groaned, blinking heavily at the blurred surroundings when a brilliant red poured over his vision.

One of the akuma drifted deftly onto the platform he lay sprawled on, phasing completely out of view as it hovered over him. Adrien shuddered a rattled gasp, fumbling with his good hand for something to aid him in standing while the akuma continued to loom in the air above him, only to find he lacked the control to sufficiently grip anything as his sweat drenched fingers slid from every surface he reached for. Gabriel's voice came through the akuma persona again, but Adrien's ears were ringing so badly he could only discern a low, rumbling mutter. A black spot suddenly darted between the teen and the akuma, stretching it's tiny limbs as far as physically possible for the small entity as it shouted something back at Hawkmoth. The villain's puppet, however, seemed to disregard it entirely, simply brushing it aside as it stooped down toward Adrien to pick him up.

Adrien's eyes shot open in a last ditch attempt to regain full consciousness, but everything continued to darken into the same unsaturated red fading to black. The pain in his arm and the throbbing sensation at his forehead persisted, abbreviating his resistance to a mere twitch of a thrash when he tried to free himself from his captor's grasp. Pressure encompassed him as the same tingling sensation he felt before started anew. He had to get away. Whatever happened, he couldn't allow Hawkmoth to get his hands on Plagg. . . to get his hands on the miraculous. But his body wasn't cooperating. Instead, he could feel the panic welling up inside him, manifesting itself as a series of frantic, shallow gasps and his muscles tightened from the increasing lack of oxygen. Tears from the pain grew large with his desperate anguish, cascading down his face as his vision blackened. With one last cry of defiance, the teen's form drooped in complete exhaustion, his broken and bloodied self now at the mercy of his enemy.

* * *

 _A/N: Sooo, the ending is left wide open. What do you guys think? Any predictions on how this could end, or should I just stop beating the dead horse? Let me know in the comments. :)_


	16. To Subdue a Hero

_Been pretty busy lately but I wanted to thank you guys for the comments! I'm glad you're all still sticking around to read. In other news, if you like fanart, I've been drawing a bit and posting to my tumblr. You can find me by username fluoroidtheauthor._

* * *

 ** _Chapter 16: To Subdue a Hero_**

 _Continuation of the previous chapter._

* * *

A splitting headache brought Adrien back to the realm of the conscious when the light from the large windows shot onto his eyes. Wearily blinking away the pain and fatigue, he slowly became aware that his right arm was bound in a sling against his chest, a throbbing reminder that he had nearly ripped his arm clean off earlier. An effort to sit up resulted in a shooting pain surging from his shoulder through his neck, elicited a yelping whimper as he collapsed back into the mattress he lay on. The white hot agony in his shoulder clouded his vision with tears as he scanned his surroundings for any sign of the black kwami whom he could vaguely recall having attempted to block Hawkmoth's shadows from getting any closer. Oh yeah. . . Hawkmoth.

A renewed sense of urgency rushed through him, spiking his adrenaline as he tore upright, blatantly ignoring the protests pulsing from his injuries while attempting to free himself from the blankets.

"Calm down, Adrien. Getting excited will only increase your recovery time."

The cold voice sent a shiver of dread down his spine and Adrien could feel beaded sweat rolling down his face as he turned frantically to face the speaker. The teen's brow furrowed with disdain.

"As if you care!" he spat bitterly, narrowing his gaze at the purple clad man standing at the edge of the room. Unsurprisingly enough, the man had either maintained his transformation or simply renewed it since Adrien had last seen him. It figured Gabriel wouldn't address him as his own father after all that happened. Pain flared up in his shoulder again causing Adrien to curl inward as he grabbed for it protectively with his other hand.

"You clearly don't understand my priorities."

"Oh, _excuse me_. I forgot all good fathers terrorized cities and hunted their own children down with demons if they didn't behave properly."

Hawkmoth frowned.

"You have yet to hear anything I have to say about the matter at hand."

"Let me guess, you want the miraculous so you can bring mother back," Adrien scowled, his eyes now staring pointedly at the floor between them. They threatened to release more tears, and he didn't need that right now.

"Do you actually grasp an understanding of their potential?"

"I've been given the task of protecting the Chat Miraculous. What do you think-?" Adrien growled, still not looking up.

"If you understand my goal, why do you run from me?"

Adrien scoffed. "If you have to ask me that, then clearly you don't understand the power you're so desperate to obtain."

Gabriel sneered derisively.

"Since when do you lecture me? If you are referring to the repercussions, I have already determined the benefits outweigh the consequences. _Significantly._ "

"Is that so?" Adrien now shouted, whipping his furious gaze back toward the man before him. "Returning mother will require the life of another. I miss her too! But there's no way I could ever do _that!_ _She_ would _never_ want that!"

A gloved back hand struck Adrien across the face, knocking him back onto the bed. The blonde blinked dizzily as he tried to regain his sense of balance when the blunt handle of Hawkmoth's cane was suddenly jabbed into his injured shoulder. Adrien let out a cry in surprise, grabbing at the cane with his other hand as he fought to push back. Gabriel responded quickly, thrusting the weapon further against the teen's injury causing Adrien's grip to fail as the increasing pain made his vision spin.

"Don't _speak_ as if you know what she would want," Gabriel hissed. "Enough of this. If you will not assist me willingly, I will assist you in changing _your_ mind. Fortunately, I have something else especially for you. I will not fail to overtake you again."

Gabriel's free hand darted above him, catching a white butterfly from the air. An unearthly blood red seemed to pull from the very air as it collected to the hand that carefully caged the fragile insect. Releasing the now deathly crimson insect to the air, the villain turned his attention back to the struggling boy.

"It pains me to do this, Adrien. But you leave me no choice."

"What are you- ?!"

Jabbing the brunt of the cane again, Adrien let out a yelp, only to find Hawkmoth deftly unsheathing the hidden blade and thrusting it against his throat before he could react. Gloved fingers roughly gripped his jaw as the blade slid threateningly up his neck and Gabriel's masked face leaned in toward him coming close enough to for the man to whisper in his ear.

"I can not simply remove your miraculous on my own." His words came carefully, deathly quiet, and Adrien could feel the fear in his gut growing rapidly. "And since you won't assist me-"

"You won't kill me," Adrien replied, struggling to keep the quiver in his voice under control.

"And you're so certain of this, that you aren't remotely _afraid_?" Hawkmoth asked, pressing the flat edge of the blade along Adrien's jaw.

Sweat now poured down his face as the blonde struggled to remain in control of his feelings, watching the evil butterfly flit closer in his peripheral. He swallowed hard before replying.

"Yes."

Gabriel chuckled darkly. "That's not what my akuma says," he replied, turning his gaze to the insect fluttering mere centimeters from Adrien's torso.

Adrien went completely still and his eyes bulged wide as the once butterfly touched down on the wrap binding Adrien's arm, dissolving into a deep crimson that spread continuously from the epicenter. The dark color overtook the entirety of the bandage and Adrien could feel an immense pressure pulsating at his head, blacking out everything in his vision. He blinked madly, opening his eyes as much as physically possible in an effort to regain his sight, but it only got darker. Adrien could no longer remember where he was, now only aware of Hawkmoth's voice ringing against his ears and reverberating in his mind.

"You feel betrayed," the man's voice came.

"Well if I do, it's because of you!" Adrien shouted, but the voice continued as if it hadn't heard him.

"Your remorse and frustration could be healed if only your family was whole again."

Adrien shook his head rapidly and he could feel tears rolling from his eyes as the words continued to come. The words were so powerful, so much stronger than his own, and it scared him. The sound of the voice flooded into his very soul, pushing him into the center of a torrential downpour, rapidly forming into a flash flood that pulled him deeper into the dark. He pushed against the flow, only to be sucked under the power of the voice with greater force the more he fought.

"I won't-! Nothing you. . . nothing you say will-"

The voice overwhelmed his thoughts again. His consciousness was drowning in a surge of emotion, the voice pushing him down into a dark forgetfulness. He struggled with all his will against the swirling, ever rising tide, suffocating his thoughts as soon as he grabbed hold of them upon his resurface. Resistance seemed to goad the power of the voice into using more force, and Adrien found himself fighting even harder and longer with each bought. The strain weighing heavily on his mind now moved into his injuries, making Adrien all the more exhausted. He couldn't keep this up.

"Returned to the state it once was," Hawkmoth's voice continued, "with a loving mother and father, happily together as they always should have been."

For what purpose was he fighting? Adrien thrashed madly against the darkness that swam over him, remembering that the reason was important. At least, he thought it was important, but whatever it was now washed to the fringes of his mind and try as he might he couldn't recall the thoughts. They quickly became less pressing. Less dire, melting into the oblivion with everything else. The voice in his mind seemed to think things would be okay and when he thought about it, nothing else contested otherwise. The voice gave him a sense of hope, a hope for a happiness he hadn't dared dream of for years. As he listened to the calm words, a faint red light pierced through the darkness, extending in a beam toward where he was. It seemed to envelop his consciousness, and for a moment, Adrien felt relief. Warm and soothing, it pulled him into its refuge, rocking him like a boat upon gentle waves. His eyelids felt heavy, like they would close on him at any moment, but the light told him it would be alright. The light would protect him from the evil around him. He could rest now.

Red. The color reminded him of something he loved. . . something he once held so dear, but it had become fogged and he couldn't rightly put his finger on who or what it was. Part of him felt it might be sad if it could see him now. But that was nonsense. Adrien felt a sense of hope now, and that was all the more reason to be happy. As he contemplated it further he recalled the light that saved him was red. That alone was significant and was probably all there was to it, he decided. Letting his eyelids drift shut, he allowed himself to rest completely in the warmth of the red glow. "Good." The voice was soft now, as though it was pleased with Adrien, but the teen didn't give it much thought beyond that as he fell into a broken dream or white and red.

Hawkmoth smirked with pleasure as the boy stood in front of him free of bandages and sling. The boy eyes flicked open to reveal red irises, his expression appearing equal to that of a stoic soldier at attention. The purple clad villain walked about the room, viewing his newly born specimen from multiple angles, noting the teen looked like Chat Noir had undergone a palette swap. It was probably for the best, Gabriel mused, considering the remaining task was to retrieve the ladybug miraculous. Overtaking a miraculous user had proved quite the task, but now that he had Chat Noir at his beck and call, he wouldn't need to resort to such power to subdue Ladybug since she would come for her once partner. The miraculous was mere moments from his grasp. He let out a manic bought of laughter before wheeling back toward Adrien.

"We are nearly there, my precious, Chat Blanc."

* * *

 _As per usual, let me know if you have any thoughts of suggestions for the future. :)_


	17. Fault

_A/N: Hey guys, sorry it's been so long since my last update. Been going through some things and they're just now starting to get resolved. Thanks for your messages in the mean time. I appreciate your interest and feedback. I'm a little rusty, so hopefully this addition isn't a complete disaster._

* * *

 **Chapter 17: Fault**

 _Scenario based on the aftermath of Mayura. Potential spoiler warning. Make sure to watch the season two finale first if you haven't seen it yet._

* * *

Adrien blew a sigh in relief as the charity event came to a close. He didn't know how, but somehow, despite the immense amount of pain that plagued him, he had managed to survive the night. Grinning his way past his discomfort, Adrien had successfully interacted with some of Gabriel's most important clients over the course of the evening. As a result, he was confident that his father's company and said clients' relationship had become more secure and he had exceeded his father's requirements. His experience in modeling had definitely paid off tonight there was no doubt, but interestingly enough, it was his ability to ignore distractions more than anything else that helped everything run smoothly. He gingerly rubbed at his gut as he made his way through the doors of the mansion, starting his way up the stairs after thanking Gorilla and bidding him good night. Nausea had churned his stomach since the picnic he had only briefly attended earlier that evening and while he managed to disregard it so far, it only seemed to be increasing in intensity now that his need to appear picture perfect was no longer necessary for the remainder of the day.

The fight with Hawkmoth had been brutal. Being one of the toughest fights so far, Adrien wasn't remotely surprised he felt achy and miserable as a result. Plagg's protection helped immensely, sure, but it didn't prevent all injury. 'A man who has nothing left to lose', Hawkmoth had said. . . the way the man had proceeded to pummel him and Ladybug after making his statement had effectively proven his point. With little time after the fight to clean up before the greatly anticipated picnic with his friends, Adrien had only just managed to conceal the bruises along his jaw but hadn't been able to evaluate anything else. He cringed as he continued taking the painstaking steps up to his room, replaying the battle on repeat in his mind. The swing where Hawkmoth had connected his abdomen with his arm felt like it left a serious bruise. He prodded his stomach lightly, determining that he really should have checked the damage earlier as the smallest of touches seemed to aggravate the bruising he was almost positive existed. The long evening was catching up to him as his fatigue mounted and all efforts to ignore the growing discomfort were quickly being overrun by a desperate need for rest and recovery. He found his strength wane upon stumbling up the final stair. Landing on his knees and expelling a huff, Adrien collapsed against the banister. He just needed to rest for a moment.

Plagg poked his head out of his hiding place to stare at Adrien worriedly. The tiny godlike entity opened his mouth, about to ask a question when his ears perked up to a subtle sound and he suddenly darted again out of view into the confines of Adrien's over shirt.

"Adrien?" A familiar time worn voice spoke to him from down the hallway. "Son, what are you doing? Are you alright?"

"I'm- fine," Adrien replied, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm just exhausted. A long day, you know, what with the whole Hawkmoth thing earlier."

Adrien winced as his side flared up when glancing up at the approaching figure of his father and Gabriel seemed to notice. The man frowned, but Adrien couldn't quite place what this particular frown meant. It wasn't an expression of disapproval or frustration, but more like something he had rarely, if ever seen since the disappearance of his mother.

"Were you hurt?" Gabriel asked.

The faintest hint of urgency in his father's voice piqued Adrien's concern further. He actually seemed to be worried about his well being. Adrien muted the smile that spread over his face as he attempted to reassure his father. Had it been anyone else (except Ladybug, he supposed) a smile to such a question would not have been his first response. Not by a long shot. But as his father rarely involved himself in his life, Adrien found it difficult to contain his excitement to find that the man actually cared.

"I'm fine," he said, only to catch his breath when the slight flex of his abdominal muscles churned his stomach. "I just- I just fell down earlier today during the chaos and may have strained my ankle a little. That's all."

Gabriel nodded solemnly as he would have expected. However, much to Adrien's surprise again, the man then suddenly stooped down and held his hand out, gesturing for Adrien to take it in support. The teen carefully took hold of the offered hand and Gabriel pulled him upright. Adrien smiled tiredly up at him and the man appeared to _almost_ reciprocate with a smile of his own. Upon standing, Gabriel assisted Adrien down the hallway when a shooting pain darted through Adrien's core mid step, causing his gait to stutter heavily. He caught himself on the railing with a stifled whimper which resulted in Gabriel inadvertently grimacing. The man paused as Adrien regained his footing, hands hovering around the boy, hesitating as he debated with himself on whether or not to- or rather, _how_ he should intervene. But as Gabriel observed Adrien more carefully, he noticed that the boy's skin had become pallid, as though he could pass out at any moment. Gabriel stepped forward.

"Adrien, if I may-"

The younger of the two looked at the man in surprised confusion before nodding in agreement. Gabriel gestured toward himself to which Adrien smiled again, albeit weakly at his father's uncommon display of kindness and leaned against him. The man took Adrien's right wrist, gently guiding his arm over his own shoulder as he wrapped his left arm around the boy's torso, pulling him close to his side when Adrien took in a sharp gasp, completely crumpling. Gabriel's attention immediately shot to the boy in alarm as he tried to stop the blonde's descent by lifting again at the blonde's waist only for Adrien to make a choking cry when vomit suddenly cascaded all over the carpet.

"Adrien, what-?"

"I- m-may have lied." Adrien stammered thickly, letting fall what remained from his mouth. "I think- I got badly- inj-ured."

"By whom?!" Gabriel shouted lividly.

"I- guess you could s-ay. . . by H-hawkmoth," Adrien replied, avoiding his father's gaze by directing his eyes at the stained flooring in front of him.

Gabriel gaped as reality flooded over him. There was no way it could actually _be Hawkmoth_ who hurt him. After all, he never interacted with Adrien directly when he was transformed. Adrien was obviously referring to the general fault being Hawkmoth's, as it surely came as a result of one of the akuma. Then Gabriel remembered he hadn't seen Adrien near the battle since Gorizilla had lost hold of him. Could Adrien have been in the crowd of Parisians standing against the akumas? Had he been so careless in his observation of the akumas since he was so preoccupied with Ladybug and Chat Noir that he didn't notice when Adrien had been attacked? His glare traveled beyond Adrien.

"Which akuma did this to you?"

"I-"

Adrien couldn't tell his father he was Chat Noir. He couldn't let him know, it was out of the question. He should have just stuck to his original tale, just sucked up the pain like a real man and dealt with it. Gabriel noticed his hesitation and repeated the question but Adrien's head was swimming in black, his vision overcome by a pulsing sensation which took with it any excuse he managed to construct. He slumped in his father's arms as vertigo brushed into him, tipping him over lightly like a blade of grass in the breeze when Gabriel's voice came again more desperately. Adrien blinked stupidly at his father as he was placed down on his back on a dry space of carpet. Quickly, but carefully, Gabriel pulled Adrien's shirt away to expose his belly. Gabriel's breath caught in his throat as Adrien's abdomen came into view. A vibrant red-purple swelling covered a large portion of the boy's gut, pulling the affected skin tight like an over inflated balloon. Gabriel's voice bellowed across the grand entry and a summoned Nathalie was immediately ordered to call an ambulance.

"H-how bad is it-?" Adrien asked tentatively as he tried not to shiver. He wasn't entirely certain if his father was actually as pale as his eyes told him he was.

"It's-"

Gabriel's response died on his lips when gaze returned to that of Adrien's as he only then noticed a substantial bruise along the boy's jaw. Apparently Adrien had hidden it earlier, but the concealing foundation had all been displaced by the vomit he had expelled moments ago. The bruise on his jaw, the massive internal bleeding at his stomach. . . the discoloration on his forearms that had become more apparent as Adrien had become paler. . . All of it suggested Adrien had been in a serious altercation. But only his largest of akumas would have used blunt force against him, and if he remembered rightly, they were all quickly contained by the use of industrial and military vehicles almost immediately after they had chased Ladybug and Chat Noir into the city. So then who-?

"Son, please, tell me. How did this happen?"

Try as he might, Adrien couldn't recall a time where he had ever seen Gabriel's face lined with such worry on his behalf. His vision focused in and out as he stared at the man's foreign expression, contemplating what to say. At this point, he didn't know what else he could tell him other than the truth. Based on Gabriel's change in demeanor, Adrien could confidently assume that his situation was more grave than he suspected. After what seemed like an hour of a moment in trying and failing to develop a feasible excuse, Adrien repressed the lump in his throat and looked directly back at Gabriel.

"I'm-"

" _Don't say it. Don't say you're-"_

"Chat Noir."

Gabriel's breath abandoned him as his stomach pitted. That couldn't possibly be true. It couldn't be true, but even more than that, he _didn't want_ it to be true. If there was _one_ thing he didn't want to be true at this very moment, it was Adrien being Chat Noir. If it were true, then he- Then Gabriel, he himself had. . . But Adrien kept his unfocused eyes on him, his expression riddled with an uncomfortable pain laden worry. As if he had just disclosed his deepest, darkest secret, one that he had sworn to never reveal. Adrien parted his lips to speak, his ghastly white lips- His voice cracked with anxiety.

"P-please don't be angry, father. I-"

"Adrien."

Tears welled up in the man's eyes and his voice faltered, shattering into a billion pieces. His trembling fingers clumsily brushed Adrien's bangs back, running his hand through his hair as he tried to soothe the son he had all but murdered- something he had only managed to _fail_ in _attempting_. His remorseful apology spilled from him like water from a fountain and he whispered for Adrien's forgiveness repeatedly. Adrien forced a weak chuckle in an attempt to lighten the situation, telling him that it was Hawkmoth who owed him an apology, only to be cut off mid-sentence when Gabriel let out a heartbreaking sob and bowed his head in agonized shame. Adrien could now feel Gabriel's hand on the ground, his thumb and forefinger trembling crazily against top of his head. His gray vision grew darker as Adrien realized what was said in Gabriel's reluctance to agree. He felt his chest tighten as he started to heave erratically for breath. Gabriel took his hand and grasped it. Adrien didn't want to believe his father was Hawkmoth, but Gabriel's inconsolable release of emotion seemed only to serve as greater evidence that the notion was reality.

"Father-"

Gabriel flinched at Adrien's addressal but couldn't bring himself to look up. It was just as well anyway Adrien decided, since the tears in his own eyes only further decreased his ability to see clearly. He forced his voice beyond a choke when his breath hitched at another spike of pain.

"I'm sorry- f-father."

He squeezed the man's hand gently as an additional effort to let him know that he'd be alright only to result in Gabriel breaking down entirely. The man placed his eyes against their clasping hands, drenching them as he sobbed, whispering his regretful apology in broken syllables. Adrien knew he didn't need to apologize to Gabriel, but he didn't know what else to say. What could he say? After all, Hawkmoth had injured him and countless others on multiple occasions. While Adrien had a brief moment of satisfaction when Carapace's shield knocked the villain for a loop, now that he knew it was his own father- as much as he knew he deserved it, Adrien couldn't bring himself to celebrate their albeit small victory. But on the same token, however, he wasn't sure how or _if_ he could forgive him either. He just wished it had never been this way. Large tears rolled down his cheeks and he gasped for breath but it only made his abdomen hurt all the more, cutting his already short gasp even more brief.

Gabriel panicked as Adrien now choked on air. His hands flew to the boy's head, trying to guide his chin upward to open his airway more fully. Emergency service personnel darted around him at some point, applying oxygen and checking vitals before hastily moving Adrien onto a backboard and Gabriel watched in slow motion as Adrien's eyes fell shut and his body drop limp. Urgent communication and movement between the medical staff melted into a haze as Gabriel watched everything unfurl with Adrien's unconscious form at the center of it all. The ambulance's blaring siren rang in his ears as they flew down the street, speeding toward to the hospital and all Gabriel could think about was how he had done this to him. In an effort to restore his family, he had destroyed what remained of it. In his fight to bring his wife back, he had managed to kill his only son. He wasn't dead yet and Gabriel hoped still that Adrien might survive, but what he had done would never be reversed, regardless of the outcome.

And Gabriel would never forgive himself.

* * *

 _A/N: Ideas or suggestions for more Adrien/ Gabriel interactions? Let me know! I don't have anything planned for the next update yet, but hopefully it'll come sooner than this one._


	18. A Small Step in the Right Direction

_A/N: Cyber Rogue and a guest or two have suggested a play off of Gorizilla. Hope you like it._

* * *

 **Chapter 18: A Small Step in the Right Direction**

 _Gabriel and Adrien's exchange post Gorizilla. The beginning is a rough combination of what I liked from the English script and what I could pick out from the French version of the final scene from Gorizilla._

* * *

"You should have trusted me, son." Adrien glanced over at Gabriel skeptically and refrained from rolling his eyes. If he really wanted his trust, the man should make himself more available to his own _flesh_ and _blood_. "It is important that our relationship be built on trust. If you were to begin hiding things from me, then I'd become liable to imagine the worst of scenarios..."

Adrien glanced up at that, a small smile of gratitude and forgiveness spreading over his face. Rarely was he ever able to talk with his father, let alone about something pertaining to his mother. It was nice to hear him speak so honestly for once. With how stoic the man always was, hearing his father expose even the tiniest amount of evidence that he had insecurities made Adrien feel like the man could actually be a normal-ish human being. It was something beyond their discussions on logistics and expectations or reminders of what he expected Adrien to accomplish. Gabriel smiled back at him as he placed his hand over Adrien's. The small gestures somehow brightened Adrien's mood even more.

"I understand, father. Thank you so much."

Both father and son then turned their attention to the screen in front of them, catching the tail end of the opening credits of the film. Adrien was on the edge of the couch in anticipation. Ever since he learned that his mother had starred in the film, he wanted so badly to see it. To actually be watching it now, with his father sitting beside him- Of all possible situations, in the best of his dreams he would never have thought this would ever happen. Adrien watched as the camera panned out, leading the story to the first scene when Gabriel abruptly took the remote and paused the film. The blonde looked over at him curiously. Surely he hadn't decided that they couldn't watch it?

"Adrien."

"Y-es?" Adrien asked nervously, noting the slight edge to Gabriel's voice.

"During the akuma attack today-"

There it was. Adrien's heart sank. He was certain the attack was the topic Gabriel would address first. When he didn't, however, Adrien had allowed himself to fall into a false sense of security. As if his father would be oblivious. Of course it was already on the news and _of course_ his father had already seen it. He was on all of the billboards recently so the news broadcasters would never miss an opportunity to report an occasion like Adrien Agreste being taken hostage by a giant gorilla akuma. As little as Gabriel involved himself in his life, Adrien still wasn't surprised that the man wanted to discuss the fact that he had literally thrown himself from the top of the second tallest skyscraper in all of France. Not that he hadn't fallen from the top of the Eiffel Tower on more than one occasion. _That_ was even higher. But Gabriel would never know he was Chat Noir, so it was moot point. Adrien tensed his fingertips against his thigh.

"Why did you do something so dangerous?" Gabriel's voice sounded gravelly. "You're lucky to be alive."

"I- Didn't- I didn't want to be crushed by the gorilla."

"So avoid something that may or may not happen to fall to what would certainly be death?" Gabriel asked, his voice raising slightly. "What if Ladybug hadn't been there?"

"Ladybug _was_ there, father. I knew she would save me," Adrien argued confidently.

"But the gorilla could have prevented her from-"

"What would _you_ have done if you were me, father?" Adrien retorted, resisting the urge to throw his hands in the air by opting to dig into the edge of the couch cushions instead. "You're talking about possibility but I didn't have any options!"

Plagg's words about becoming a pile of Camembert played in his mind and Adrien remembered the venerable feeling of plummeting to the ground without Chat Noir's power. But he had to do something. How else was he to get away and help Ladybug save Paris? It's not like he could just transform in front of everyone. In front of Hawkmoth. He had focused so hard on his faith in Ladybug and that certainly helped, but as the ground neared with every split second, so grew his urge to transform and save himself. Ladybug _did_ save him though. He had been on a high since she caught him- Well, up until he realized Gabriel was awaiting him when he returned home. That, and now. The beautiful girl in red managed to wipe away any fear he may have had but as his father posed the what-ifs and what-could-have-beens, his fear returned. The reminder that he was a fragile human being, susceptible to mortality. Even if he had transformed, could he really guarantee that he could have saved himself? Traces of tears found their way onto the rims of his eyelids and Adrien found he needed to wipe at his nose again.

"You think _you_ were scared?" Adrien asked quietly, looking away from where Gabriel sat.

Gabriel's furrowed brow softened a little. He had thought Adrien might be Chat Noir but Adrien didn't know that. All Adrien knew was that he wanted to escape the akuma he, Hawkmoth had sent after the boy. A pang of guilt pricked at Gabriel as he watched his son wipe away a tear before it was allowed to fall. He shouldn't have jeopardized Adrien like he did. Shaking the thought immediately from his head, Gabriel reminded himself that he couldn't dwell on what he shouldn't have done, he just needed to continue to focus on his goals. What he _needed_ to do. And like Adrien said, Ladybug was there. That's the only reason Gabriel held off as long as he did before allowing Adrien to be saved. The ends would justify the means. And even if Adrien later learned that he was Hawkmoth, the teen would eventually forgive him and more importantly, they would have Emilie back.

"You're right," Gabriel relented, keeping his focus on Adrien who continued to look away. Gabriel closed his eyes and lowered his voice. "I'm sorry I didn't consider your feelings first."

Adrien sniffed and wiped his other eye with the back of his hand as he stared at the carpet near his feet. He couldn't fault Gabriel for being so worried as to overlook his emotions. The man had already lost the person most important to him. To feel like he would lose the only remaining member of his family. . . Adrien couldn't imagine what it would be like to be bereaved of his father as well. Stifling a whimper, Adrien turned suddenly and landed himself against Gabriel's chest, burying his face into the man's shoulder. He sniffed again as Gabriel reciprocated by pulling him into a hug. Gabriel placed his hand against the nape of the boy's neck and Adrien only buried his face in more, allowing himself to cry against the man when Gabriel didn't dismiss him. This is all he wanted. More than anything, he just wanted his father to understand him. To love him unconditionally. Adrien knew his mother's disappearance had been hard on the man, but it had been hard on him too. Especially when his one remaining parent had become so withdrawn.

For the moment, Adrien allowed himself to be vulnerable. Tears kept falling and his nose was dripping still, but his father didn't release him in the slightest. Instead, Gabriel placed his chin on the crown of Adrien's head, taking in the scent of the shampoo coming from his hair. It was the same stuff he had been using for years. His attention traveled to his peripheral to find the film still paused on the TV screen. Adrien shuddered with another snivel and Gabriel was brought back to a time when Adrien was small. A time where he comforted him when he was sad. He rocked the boy then, even hummed or mumbled the words to a lullaby a time or two. Blaming muscle memory, Gabriel started to sway in small motions. When Adrien seemed to relax a little, Gabriel passed his fingers gently through the ends of Adrien's hair. The crying and sniffing grew less frequent and the two sat silently in their embrace.

A long moment later, Gabriel reluctantly released his hold on the boy. Adrien slowly broke away and wiped his eyes sheepishly. Gabriel reached to an inside pocket of his suit jacket and offered the boy a handkerchief. The teen gratefully accepted it, wiping what remained before blowing his nose. Gabriel smiled gently. Adrien smiled back, jerking upright when he saw the clock face. Gabriel turned to see what caught his son's attention before turning back to Adrien with a small sigh. Adrien balled the handkerchief uncomfortably in his hands.

"I suppose you have to return to work now?" Adrien asked, failing to mask the disappointment in his heart. His eyes drifted to his knees, but Gabriel didn't stand like he anticipated. Instead, the man cleared his throat.

"We have yet to finish the film," Gabriel replied flatly, the corner of his mouth turning upwards slightly when Adrien looked back to him in surprise. "Why don't I have Nathalie bring us some sweets?"

* * *

 _A/N: Their relationship is so screwed up. At least in my headcanon._


	19. Fog of War

_A/N: As I contemplated some of Ayolen's suggestions I came up with this doozy. It's not exactly en pointe with her idea, but it definitely spurred this addition._

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Fog of War**

 _Another post Mayura scenario. Hawkmoth and Maryura go to extremes to obtain the miraculouses._

* * *

Thick smoke swirled around Gabriel's feet as he stepped over more rubble. The heavily damaged city was now on fire, courtesy of a fire breathing dragon created with the help of Mayura. It was all or nothing this time, Nathalie had counseled him. They had to pull out all the stops if Gabriel wanted to obtain the cat and ladybug miraculouses so unlike last time, they wouldn't leave anything to incompetent akumas and would handle it entirely as their own super villain duo. Therefore Gabriel agreed, giving his assistant permission to wield the power of the peacock miraculous, promising to end the battle as quickly as possible in an effort to spare her from experiencing any side effects due to its corruption. This time, it seemed, their victory was inevitable as Gabriel's desperation had given birth to a monster. The dragon had all but obliterated the surrounding districts, leaving burning trails in its wake, successfully separating the heroic duo. Hawkmoth found himself face to face with Chat Noir and no Ladybug in sight. He grinned nastily.

Chat Noir had seen better days. Hawkmoth figured the boy was just out of clever comments, but he really seemed to be off his game today. More than once Chat had misjudged his leaps or depth of strike, either missing his target entirely or being hit by oncoming assaults he tried to avoid. The smarmy teen hero looked worse for the wear with all the shreds and chips taken out of his leather armor. Bruises on his cheeks and jaw shone in the light of the surrounding fires and he had somehow managed to get a bloody lip. As much as Hawkmoth would like to take credit for that one, he was pretty sure the cat had just tripped mid run and introduced his face to the pavement. Now the battered hero stood in front of him, baton at the ready, but his usual energy seemed nearly extinguished. His back drooped forward in something of a slouch and he swayed side to side, as if he were an oversized toddler who didn't know how to stand properly and was about to kiss the concrete a second time. All things considered, the battle couldn't have been going any more smoothly.

"Come on, boy," Hawkmoth goaded. "Where's your fighting spirit?"

Chat glared back as he growled, wobbly pointing his staff at the man who simply laughed. So strong was his advantage it made it difficult to remain calm. Gabriel was just _so_ close to attaining his goal, he felt like he was becoming manic. It took every last bit of control to not fly completely off the handle and absolutely wreck the teen, the final obstacle before he could promptly double team the spotted heroine. But he didn't want to risk losing everything he had worked so hard for. He wouldn't react without caution this time and since Chat Noir had yet to employ his cataclysm, Hawkmoth remained at a safe distance. No, no matter the temptation, Gabriel would maintain control over the situation until he saw it through, even if it meant waiting five more excruciating minutes for Chat Noir to actually make an advance.

The boy took a staggering step toward the man. This was it. Hawkmoth raised his cane sword and grounded his stance. Chat Noir let out a yell and sprinted at him, extending the baton into the ground and vaulted upward. Flying over Hawkmoth's head, Chat slammed the baton downward, planting its end in the crumbled cement when the purple clad man deftly side-stepped the strike. As Chat landed, he stumbled over the end of Hawkmoth's sheath into a tumbling roll. Gabriel stared at Chat in disbelief as the boy pushed himself off the ground, only to then break into a coughing fit. Frowning, Hawkmoth advanced to where the boy stood bent over as he heaved for breath. Perhaps he didn't need to exert any more energy. He reached toward the boy's right hand and the blonde didn't seem to notice. Surely it couldn't be this easy, Gabriel thought to himself as he easily took hold of the teen's arm.

Suddenly, the leather clad boy ripped his arm from his hold forcing Gabriel to leap away as Chat Noir's other hand came swiping at him. Springing back on the defense, Gabriel dropped low and prepared to strike, smirking when he found Chat had yet to turn back around. The man darted at him, aiming a side swipe with the sheath at the backs of Chat's knees when the boy suddenly collapsed forward on his own accord. Out cold, by the looks of it as Gabriel then stood over Chat who only expelled a soft moan. His breath seemed ragged and the side of the boy's face was dripping with sweat. There was no way all of these symptoms came from this battle alone. Chat Noir probably had a head cold. Perhaps a flu- or something. Not that it concerned Gabriel, especially when fate had been so kind as to bring him an ill, now unconscious Chat Noir. He squatted down, lifting the boy's wrist once again bringing the ring toward his other hand. The cat miraculous was now his.

Much like the purple that surrounded Gabriel upon transformation, a green light shrouded the boy and the black leather melted away. Ring in hand, Hawkmoth turned it over as he stared at it curiously. The silver band was uncannily familiar and he was sure he had seen it before. But the grimoire didn't have any illustrations of the miraculous in their dormant form, so where would he have seen it? The green light dissipated into the dark leaving only the glow of orange to illuminate his surroundings. Hawkmoth looked past the ring now, pocketing it away as he peered into the smoky sky. Ladybug would be wherever Mayura's dragon was but he would need to find a better vantage point if he wanted to see beyond the polluted air. A loud crack sounded from a nearby building as the second story of the wooden structure broke apart. The fiery rubble rained down on him as he sprang out of the way. He rolled onto his knees and sucked in a sharp breath when wooden planks and metal roofing missed him by a margin. Shaking with adrenaline, he pulled himself to his feet with the aid of his cane when he saw the unconscious boy that was Chat Noir laying in the midst of the burning rubble.

" _Adrien?!"_

There was a definite probability that he was wrong. The boy wasn't facing him, after all. But the tousled blonde hair, the dirty- definitely white shirt, light blue denim pants. The silver ring. Another crack deposited more debris from the crumbling building, sending burning coals to shower the street below. Gabriel hastily stepped over and under the burning remains, calling Adrien's name as he went, but pleading at the same time that the boy wasn't his son. It wasn't in the cards, however. As he blessed his fate moments ago he now cursed it with venom. Adrien was dusted with ash and coals, of which Gabriel hastily brushed from him upon dropping to his knees. Blood trickled from a rough abrasion at his forehead and his right shoulder had a large wooden splinter embedded in it. The man grimaced uncomfortably at the burns on the boy's exposed flesh and the holes that had been burned through his clothing. Gabriel unburied the boy as quickly as he could manage, ripping the burning debris from above him before they crumbled. A moderate level of exertion and a makeshift lever using Hawkmoth's cane freed the teen's left leg from a large chunk of cement that had pinned him down. After pulling the slivered wood free from his arm, Gabriel took great care to avoid the gash that traced the length of Adrien's calf and lifted him into his arms, proceeding to dash for the nearest open space.

Adrien's head lolled back and forth in the crook of the man's elbow as Gabriel ran, barely audible groans escaping the boy every time Gabriel leapt over something and landed hard despite how steady he tried to keep him. The boy's body temperature felt dangerously high and he was sweating profusely. How had he not noticed Adrien had been sick? Guilt flooded what was left of his conscience as he recalled that he had been particularly neglectful toward the boy that week. Once away from immediate danger and the chance of encountering prying eyes, Gabriel released his transformation. He needed to call off Mayura. He sat on a curb, positioning Adrien safely in his lap, leaning him against an arm and called Nathalie to hastily explain the bare minimum before hanging up to place an emergency call. Dispatch directed him to stay on the line so he did so, grudgingly setting them to speaker phone only to then take Adrien up in his arms again and ignore anything else.

He leaned his head near the boy's, weeping silently as sirens blared in the distance. Placing his fingertips on Adrien's cheek, he then sobbed as he gently wiped at the dirt and grime from his skin finding his blood crusted lips were devoid of color and their natural redness had migrated to his cheeks. Gabriel whispered to him, speaking of happier times and how much he admired the boy, continuing to talk at him with the hope that it would somehow keep Adrien from crossing into an irrecoverable state. How short sighted and blinded he had been. If he had been more involved in Adrien's life in the first place, perhaps he would have known he was Chat Noir sooner. There might not have been any secrets between them. And perhaps- just possibly, the pain he experienced from his broken family would have been the tiniest bit lighter. Had he chosen a different path, at the very least, he was confident that he wouldn't have found himself in the burning streets cradling Adrien as he died in his arms. Hawkmoth thought he had won the battle. Gabriel knew he had lost desperately. If the price of life was that of Adrien's, he would never seek it again.

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 _A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. As always, I appreciate the feedback. :)_


	20. Unsatisfactory Performance

_A/N: Wow, guys. Twenty chapters! I honestly didn't know how long I'd be creating these, but it's been a fun challenge trying to come up with so many different scenarios._

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Unsatisfactory Performance**

 _Adrien did his best to adhere to his father's expectations, but even some of his best days were still spent walking on eggshells. What would happen when they finally broke?_

This addition is pretty heavy and _**might be closer to an M rating**_ , idk. Please tell me if you think I should up the overall maturity rating of this collection from T to M as some of my previous chapters feel a bit borderline to me as well.

 _ **Trigger warning: Abuse**_

* * *

"Shouldn't you be practicing the piano right now? Return to your room. I will speak with you later. Nathalie, ensure he does not leave." Gabriel shot a finger at the teen as he voiced his command. Nathalie nodded timidly and directed Adrien hastily out of the office. The anger that blazed in the man's eyes colored them an even harder steel and it made Adrien's stomach churn with anxiety. He shouldn't have been so careless. As stubborn and unrelenting as his father was, Adrien should have known better than to think he could take a break from his routine to make a simple request. Like everything else, he should have kept his desires bottled up and shoved far into the recesses of his soul as to prevent them from ever rising to the surface. He had tried to ask for permission to see a film, one featuring his mother, only to be automatically denied as Gabriel's schedule apparently didn't leave room for casual inquiries. To make things worse, the man's mood seemed irritable at best and upon realizing Adrien wasn't where he was expected to be, he promptly dismissed the boy.

For many months Adrien had evaded his father's wrath. With the occasional exception of a verbal berating for failing to meet specific details of his expectations, all other interactions with his father had been extremely mild. The lack of aggression Gabriel had displayed initially put Adrien on edge, resulting in him tiptoeing around every interaction with his father as though he were walking on broken glass. However, as more and more time passed without event, Adrien had grown more relaxed, likely as a result from the newfound freedom he had gained since becoming Chat Noir. More recently, Gabriel seemed to be preoccupied with something more pressing than regulating schedules and Adrien's respite seemed to have evolved into something more permanent. That's why, despite what the last couple years of experience had taught him, Adrien decided it was probably- possibly okay to make a small, little request in between extracurricular studies. His reprieve, however, immediately came crashing to a halt as a result of his less than perfect behavior and Adrien was left to wait and anxiously ponder what would greet him once Gabriel took his leave from work.

Plagg hovered about the teen nervously, wishing he could alleviate the boy's concerns, even if only by some small way. Adrien's room had been completely sealed off from the outside. With Nathalie and Gorilla observing either exit to the room and the security walls in force there was nowhere to escape to. The metal wall also blocked out any trace of sunlight, leaving the only provision of illumination to come from a floor lamp next to the wall and Plagg was certain the gloomy atmosphere was only contributing to Adrien's mounting dread. So the kwami said what came to his mind, suggesting they use cataclysm to blow the wall to pieces and run. Adrien vetoed the idea saying the last thing he needed was an addition to his current list of transgressions. When Plagg attempted to interject with the second half of his plan, Adrien continued, explaining why fleeing was futile. While he still disagreed, Plagg silently debated with himself as to what he could do to help the boy, his concern growing with Adrien's as each minute ticked past. Plagg had never actually seen Gabriel completely lose his temper around his son but the teen had alluded to more than one occasion where the man had done so. Grumpily shoving a wedge of Camembert into his maw, Plagg made a face of disgust. Adrien didn't deserve any of the poor treatment he received, least of all anxiety over having tried to ask an innocent question.

A door opened and Plagg hid away in the teen's shirt. Adrien jerked upright at attention as Gabriel entered the dim room and pulled the door shut behind him. The tension was suffocating as Adrien didn't dare take so much as a breath as the tall man walked further into the room, placing his hands in his pockets. Adrien hadn't meant to anger Gabriel. It was an honest miscalculation, but here he was, about to pay for his carelessness. Trembling hands rose to between him and his father as Adrien hoped there was still a chance to reason with the man and de-escalate the situation before he completely exploded.

"Father- about the film," he rattled off hastily, "I didn't mean-"

"I don't give a _damn_ about the _film_ , Adrien," Gabriel replied icilly, his shadow growing to cover Adrien. "What have I said regarding adhering to your schedule?"

Adrien cowered as Gabriel continued to advance toward him, shrinking in on himself with the vain hope that he might disappear into thin air. He raised his arms closer to his head in defence, still spreading his fingers as he tried to calm the man down. "I- I just thought-"

"I don't want you to _think_ , I expect _obedience_. Now stop cowering and face your consequences like a man." Gabriel took hold of the belt around his waist and removed it letting the buckle drop as he held the other end. "Arms," he said simply when the teen didn't react. Adrien nervously extended his exposed forearms, holding them outward running parallel to each other with his palms facing up.

A stinging slap resounded in the room as leather met flesh. Adrien silenced a yelp as it escaped him, cramming his eyes shut as he tensed in preparation for another round when the slap occurred a second time. Tears beaded at the corners of his eyes and he trembled as terror continued to surge through him. The man expelled a puff of air and Adrien heard the buckle clack against itself upon being set down. The blonde risked a peek to find his lashings were on hold- at least for the time being. Swelling red stripes illuminated by the dim light ran across his arms and Adrien could already feel the bruises forming. It was going to be long sleeves for the remainder of the week, that much was certain.

Gabriel sighed in frustration. "Adrien." The teen peered timidly up at the man, still not pulling his arms away as he wasn't sure if he was yet finished. "Why do you make me do this to you?"

Adrien hung his head guiltily, looking down toward his socked toes as he tried to formulate an answer. Gabriel was right, after all. He deserved what had come to him. Adrien knew the rules and he knew what happened if he failed to pay strict heed to said laws."I- I'm sorry, father. I didn't mean to show you any disrespect."

"You may not return to school until I see a convincing improvement in your obedience."

Adrien felt his hopes crumble as his shred of freedom was revoked. "But, father, if I may-"

Gabriel turned his steely, stone faced gaze directly to Adrien.

"The condition on which you attended that school was that you would continue to fulfil your schedule here as I outlined. You failed to meet my only requirement when you decided to shirk your piano studies."

Fighting the tears of disappointment, Adrien swallowed hard as he nodded to signify his understanding. "Yes, father," he replied quietly, letting his arms fall when Gabriel reached out and caught his right wrist. Adrien's expression blew wide with alarm when he noticed where the man's eyes fell. "I- no _wait!_ "

Unable to stop him in time, Gabriel slipped Adrien's silver ring from his finger. Adrien choked on his gasp when the ring reverted to its original black form with a green paw print. Gabriel turned it over in his fingers with great interest, clasping it in his hand when he turned to face Adrien, arching his eyebrows. Adrien didn't have to ask to know the question on Gabriel's mind. The man's piercing glare sent the teen's stomach into somersaults and he found himself shivering nervously. Shoving the ring in a pocket on his blazer, the man then rounded on Adrien, sweeping his feet out from under him to send him crashing on the floor. A swift kick to the gut followed and Adrien found himself flying through the air briefly before skidding to a halt on the wooden flooring. Had he not already been in a mode of panic, his brain would have told him his elbows and forearms stung immensely from being rubbed raw by the friction. Instead, he hacked a deep cough and pushed himself from the ground as rapidly as manageable.

"What are my rules concerning secrets, _Chat Noir?_ " Gabriel voice dripped with venom as he grabbed the belt from earlier and stalked toward the boy. Adrien backed away as he advanced, raising his hands between them as the visceral defensive instinct directed him to. "I had my suspicions for quite some time now, hence the activation of the security system," Gabriel explained. "But I thought you had already learned that I do not tolerate lies."

"Wait- father, _please- Please!_ "

Bumping into an ottoman, Adrien fell backward upon losing his footing. The man stepped over the furniture and towered above him. Frantic, Adrien waved his arms madly as he begged the man to stop. The bargaining plea fell on deaf ears, however, as a heavy swing of the belt caught Adrien on the side of the arm. He stumbled in an effort to catch his balance for a moment when another strike smacked down against the back of his shoulder and sent him to the ground. He barely had time to orient himself when the man then dropped the disciplinary tool and grabbed a fistful of the teen's hair. Yanking Adrien into the air, Gabriel growled with rage.

"I- I'm sorry," was all Adrien could manage, puckering his face before he could be hit.

A curled set of fingers were driven into his abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. It was the one thing about his beatings that brought Adrien some relief. In any of the instances Gabriel lost his temper, Adrien had never been hit above the neck. Facial injuries required a hold to be put on marketing which in turn threatened stock value. Everything else apart from that could be easily managed with layers of clothing which subsequently, also saved him the embarrassment of having to explain to his friends that he had once again disappointed his father. Another strike came to the same place before he could breathe, sending his vision into a swirl of flashing white stars as his ears sang a monotone pitch. Another blow followed when he was dropped to the ground to promptly be sent flying with a rounding kick. He hacked and gasped, clutching his abdomen in agony as he tried again to pull himself up before the man could get any closer.

"Plagg! _Help me!_ "

A small part of him thought if he shouted loudly enough, Plagg would be able to exit the miraculous and come to his aid. Nothing happened and Adrien's fears were confirmed. He was alone. Gabriel let out a derisive snort as he sneered down at his miserable offspring. Shooting at the boy suddenly, Adrien threw his hands up only to have them blocked, finding a large hand had wrapped itself around his neck. His toes left the ground and he clawed desperately at the fingers cutting off his airway as the dim room became even darker.

"I trust you won't retain anything from me in the future," Gabriel inquired calmly.

Adrien's flailing slowed and a tiny, broken response came from his lips. The hand released its grip and Adrien fell to his knees, sucking in a breath only to cough it back out. He tipped over with a thud and the coolness of the wood flooring refreshed his heated face. Tears dribbled across his nose, down his cheek onto the ground and Adrien watched the man he called father mix into darkness. His heart ached as he longed for what couldn't be, feeling as if part of him was actually dying as Plagg's presence faded away. How he wished Plagg could ignore all of the laws that bound him to the miraculous. That he might return to Adrien's side to talk his ear off about cheese, or the beauty of stench. He wished his mother could be there. Perhaps, if she was still there, Adrien would finally receive the approval he worked so hard for. Perhaps if his mother hadn't left, his father wouldn't have become the monster that now stood before him. Perhaps if Adrien were a better son, he wouldn't have merited the pain that he now drowned in.

"Remember your engagements," Gabriel admonished, his voice devoid of feeling as his eyes stared through Adrien. "I expect you to be back to your regular schedule within the next two days." Light from the grand hallway flooded the room as the man departed and Adrien dropped further into unconsciousness. "Nathalie, if you will please ensure the injuries are taken care of, I have some pressing business to attend to."

* * *

 _A/N: Another unhappy chapter, but I think most of the scenarios come out that way because as much as I would like it to be, I don't see Gabriel and Adrien's dynamic being one of harmony. Could their perceived relationship become healthier? Sure. But realistically speaking, even the kind of relationship they have canonically would take a lot of work to become healthy._ _Abuse is a sensitive topic for me and one I feel very strongly about. Trying to control someone through the use of fear, emotional or physical manipulation/ abuse, isolation, restricting access to basic needs, etc. is never justifiable._


	21. Choices and Consequences

_A/N: Requested by Ranger209, here is a follow up chapter to "Unsatisfactory Performance". As with all chapters in this collection, all of the stories are more or less standalone oneshots. I've tried to write in such a way that chapters 'continuing' a previous storyline can still be read without previously having read any of those preceding them._

 _Without further ado, I present to you the longest chapter I've posted in a while. Hope you enjoy._

* * *

 **Chapter 21: Choices and Consequences**

 _Confined to the house, Adrien contemplates his remaining options._

* * *

There were far worse places he could be confined to. Well, actually, this was the only place he could imagine his father keeping him. It wasn't bad but being the place he had been home schooled since he was small meant it wasn't great either. Being handled with increased security and unable to leave the house, he opted to stay in his room and more specifically in his bed. Not that he wanted to sleep. He had already been doing that for far too long and preferred the option that no longer existed: to be at school. What with the more vigilant surveillance, he couldn't even sneak out if he tired. Well, perhaps he _could_ if he wanted to break his legs. Fortunately, after Gabriel took his leave from his 'one-on-one time' with his failure of a son, he had lifted the lockdown and sunlight was able to enter his room again. The problem was not that he didn't have the option but rather an issue of not even so much as a tree stood close enough to his window for him to grab onto. If he wanted to escape without being spotted, he'd have to stick a landing after scaling the building or in the more likely scenario, post free falling. Chat could handle an issue like falling a story or two without breaking a sweat while Adrien on the other hand, probably couldn't manage it without injury on a good day and certainly not in his current state.

His abdomen was still bruised and tender from the altercation but looking at the clock told him he had only been resting around three hours since regaining consciousness anyway. In fact, upon sitting up, Adrien realized that even such a basic motion was more taxing than usual. Perhaps it was a good thing he couldn't go to school today. He cringed as he pushed himself from the edge of the bed, keeping a hand on the mattress as he stood since he didn't necessarily trust himself to remain standing. He soon found himself upright without incident and without aid so he shuffled slowly over to the bathroom. Passing the sink, he caught a glance of his reflection. Exhaustion darkened the skin under his eyes, fittingly matching it with the bruises around his throat. He glared at himself and passed by without bothering another moment of evaluation, peeled his clothing off and stepped into the shower.

He turned on the tap and wet a hand towel then promptly turned the faucet off and wrung most of the water from the cloth. Learning against the tiled wall, he proceeded to clean himself minimally. His arms could hardly stand the slightest of pressure, as did his stomach and lower torso. Working his way to his shoulder he found a pad of gauze on his scapula. Apparently the skin had been broken open enough that Nathalie felt it merited dressing, so he left it alone. Standing for even those few minutes soon proved to be arduous so Adrien set the cloth down after another moment and toweled off. Disregarding his clothes from the day before, he left them in a pile on the floor and proceeded to his closet. After finishing dressing, the teen pulled a hoodie over his head, made his way back to the bed and flopped into it face down with a grunt. The faint stench of strong cheese filled his senses causing him to lift his head as his eyes darted to his pillow but it was empty. He dropped his head back onto the comforter in disappointment only to return to the scent of Camembert. Tears watered the blanket and Adrien let out a shudder as he wondered if he'd ever be reunited with Plagg. Maybe he should have just listened to the kwami and fled when he had the chance...

Sighing, he turned over and grabbed his phone, proceeding to scroll mindlessly through texts only to find Nino had yet to respond to his last message. Opening a browser, he pulled up the Ladyblog. If he couldn't be around the real thing then he could at least watch videos of her. Perhaps that would take his mind off of everything. Watching footage of Ladybug and him fighting in tandem against various akuma from time to time was useful for evaluating his performance and finding ways to improve his technique, but on this occasion he just wanted to remember happier times. He proceeded to scroll when an update appeared on the side of the screen only moments later and started playing a live stream. Alya was following what appeared to be a frog man covering the street and surrounding area with thick mucus. Ladybug was in hot pursuit. Adrien shot out of bed, ignoring the pain that flared up at his abdomen as he hastily made his way out of his room. He had to find Plagg.

Gabriel was sure to be working so as long as he was careful, Adrien could check his typical hiding places, of which he prayed one of them would contain his ring. Peering around the door frame, he glanced downstairs to see if he could spot Nathalie or Gorilla, finding the latter sitting in a chair in the entryway while reading a novel. Nathalie was typically around the kitchen at this time of day preparing lunch whenever Adrien was home and the faint sound of dishes being moved around seemed to confirm his assumption. Taking a careful step forward, he closed his door quietly before stealthily making his way downstairs. He has almost made it to the main floor when Gorilla looked up from his book and raised an inquiring eyebrow.

"I- uh, just wanted to see if Nathalie was finished making lunch yet," he said sheepishly, pointing as he walked in the direction of his fingers. "I didn't have breakfast, since I was still asleep-" But Gorilla had already lost interest in the less than abnormal circumstance and had returned to his book. Adrien blew a sigh of relief, checking the hulking man one last time before turning and heading to his father's atelier. Peeking beyond the crack in the doors, he found the room to be vacant so he slid between the gap and entered. If his father wanted to keep anything secret, he kept it in a vault behind the portrait of his mother. Adrien had only recently learned of this and fortunately at the time, despite being unsolicited, Plagg had opened it for him from the inside and informed the boy of the code after doing so. With any luck the code would have remained unchanged. Swinging the portrait aside, Adrien input the code and lifted the lever, pleased when he found the safe opened. Fearing the worst, Adrien looked inside with trepidation, his expression exploding into joy upon finding Plagg's miraculous sitting on the shelf next to a peacock shaped pin and a photo of his mother. He took it immediately, pressing the safe closed followed by the painting. All was going better than he could have hoped for when the sound of a man clearing his throat resonated in the spacious room. Adrien's spine went ridged with alarm and his previous excitement melted into dread. He turned to suddenly find a sorely unamused Gabriel Agreste standing directly behind him.

"There's an akuma attack-" Adrien explained. Gabriel only chuckled darkly in response.

"So there is, but I'm afraid that is the least of your concerns at the moment."

"Please understand, father, Ladybug needs my help!" His petition came out with such energy that upon finishing he was forced to suck in rather large breath at which Gabriel then lowered his stare to find the teen grasping uneasily at his gut.

"I don't think you're in a state to help anyone right now, Adrien. Now, give me back the miraculous," he said, extending his open hand toward the teen.

"I'll do just fine," Adrien replied sounding slightly offended. Clutching the ring more tightly, Adrien took a hesitant step back toward the wall as he continued to watch his father with growing concern. "Look, it's clear you won't approve, but I have to do something!" Adrien's gaze cast downward. "If you still feel the need to reprimand me after I save the city, then I accept that."

"Your decision is ill advised," Gabriel warned coldly. His stony expression fell harder when Adrien looked back at the man and slid the ring on. Plagg appeared upon leaving the band's confines only able to exchange glances with his charge before Adrien initiated transformation.

"No, father. I'm leaving," he stated. "And you won't-"

"Stop you?" Gabriel's gravelly voice came again and Adrien was startled to find the man now cloaked in all purple. So great was his shock over the man's sudden change in appearance that he hesitated just long enough to give the man the advantage. As Adrien gaped in disbelief at the butterfly shaped broach on the man's collar, Gabriel darted at him, slamming him against the portrait as he rammed the head of his cane into Chat's stomach. Adrien's knees buckled as he let out a pained gasp, the only thing keeping him upright being the force of the cane pinning him against the wall. "Of course I can stop you. Just because you have additional protection from the miraculous doesn't mean you're not still compromised."

"You-" Chat's breath hitched and his expression wrinkled with despair. His voice shattered with his heart. " _Why-?_ "

"My reasons don't concern you," Gabriel replied evenly. "Now give up."

Mustering what resolve he could, Adrien grit his teeth and kicked off of the wall into a flip, knocking Hawkmoth back as he freed himself. Adrenaline surging, he grabbed his baton and launched its extension at Hawkmoth's chest who then dodged it as he struck back against the staff with his cane. They traded parries and blocks, leaping around the room as either player tried to gain the upper hand. Gabriel sneered at the teen, musing how impressive his fencing skills had become when Chat surprised him further as he dropped low and swept the man's feet out from under him. The villain didn't relent, however, as he simply flipped back onto his feet after springing from a one-handed cartwheel. He then rounded on Adrien, slamming the head of the cane against the back of what he knew to be the teen's injured shoulder. Chat dropped to his hands and knees and his baton slipped to the ground as the wind was knocked out of him. A swift swipe of the foot sent the staff to the edge of the room and Hawkmoth bore down on his prey.

White flashes covered Chat's vision as the blunt damage spread through his back. He floundered for a moment in panic only to then receive a stomping kick to the same injury as a result, his chest being shoved against the tiled floor as his nerves exploded with anger. The wave of pain threatened to render him unconscious but Chat growled defiantly and when the cane swung downward the teen threw himself out of its path, dodging the strike by a mere margin. Defying his fate, he then drove his fist into the floor and released a cataclysm which blasted the floor into fragments as the shockwave pulsed through it. Extending its reach to the opposite wall, the destructive power shot through the windows like lightning, leaving a gaping hole of sunlight in its wake. Hawkmoth bounced back as the floor broke apart as did Chat. Ignoring the protests from his body, Chat ran on all fours, pouncing at his staff when Hawkmoth blindsided him. A kick caught him, but only barely scraped over his upper arm as Chat retracted in the nick of time. Retaliating with a kick of his own, Adrien successfully planted his boot in the man's face. A crunch signified he had broken the man's nose. Rebounding to his feet, he nearly grabbed his staff when a sharp thrust lanced through the side of his abdomen. He crumpled, falling short of his goal with a hissing grunt.

"Insolent boy." Hawkmoth stepped toward him, blood freely running down his face as he kept the blade trained at the teen's chest. Adrien scurried away from the advance, pushing his feet repeatedly against the ground to scoot himself back as he pressed a hand against the seeping wound, but the man maintained the gap between them. Adrenaline shook Adrien to his core as he shivered with sweat, watching the sword follow him as he dragged himself backward. Air bit at his exposed subcutaneous tissue, eliciting a sharp gasp and accompanying tears when the tip of the blade suddenly rose, coming to rest dangerously close to his face. "Stop," Gabriel commanded. " _Now_."

Chat obeyed and timidly peered up at Hawkmoth, still chattering as he shook madly, surprised when he caught a glance of what appeared to be the man flinching as though his steady resolve was suddenly compromised. The sword remained pointed at his chin as to prevent his escape, but as steely as they were, Adrien could almost see the hesitation in his father's eyes. Gabriel, it seemed, appeared to be at a moral crossroads. A quick peripheral survey of his surroundings told Adrien that his only feasible exit was the hole in the wall which was located right behind him, and if he was going to run, he'd still need his baton which was a meter from where he sat. His thoughts were interrupted as a warning from his miraculous sounded. As alarming as Adrien usually found the beep, his swimming vision was an even greater indication that his time was dreadfully limited. He had to do something and he had to do it now.

"It brings me no pleasure to fight you like this, Adrien," Hawkmoth said solemnly.

"Then, why-?" the boy's voice faltered as he tried to reign in his emotions. "Why are you so desperate to obtain our miraculouses? So- _desperate_ as to terrorize _everyone_ just to. . . to-" Tears ran freely down his mask and reddened cheeks but Adrien had long since ended his effort to keep them at bay. He couldn't stop his father, but Gabriel's hesitation to actually finish the battle gave Adrien hope that he could still appeal to the shred of humanity that still existed somewhere inside of the man.

"To bring your mother back," Gabriel said. "That's all I've wanted since assuming this- role."

"You did- _all_ of _this_. . . for mother?"

"Yes."

An immense amount of emotion erupted from Adrien.

" _NO!_ " A sob broke the blonde's cry and Gabriel was taken aback. "Mother- she, she would _never_ forgive this! Look at her!" Adrien screamed suddenly, thrusting a finger at the portrait on the wall. " _You hurt mother!_ "

Hawkmoth wheeled around to look at the painting. The contrast of the shadow against the sunlight made it difficult to see, but closer inspection revealed the damage left in the canvas from their initial scuffle. A handful of dents peppered the canvas and it had torn away from the upper corner causing wrinkles and folds. He didn't want to believe it, but the longer Gabriel peered at the painting the more his eyes showed him what Adrien was talking about. Surely his mind was playing tricks on him. Paintings didn't just magically change over the course of minutes. However, even after closing his eyes momentarily, the frown on the originally serene painting of his wife was still there. Gut wrenching disappointment and grief flooded from the image. Gabriel watched as it oozed onto the floor and over his feet, climbing up his form until it seeped through his skin into his heart. He had hurt _her._ She frowned sadly at him. Suddenly all of the actions he had taken in her behalf, against all of Paris, everything he had done was no longer acceptable. But that wasn't the worst of it. The paint started to melt as she began to cry, reminding him of what he had done to their son- And what he had done, was truly unforgivable.

A series of taps and a rustle startled Gabriel from his nightmare. He turned around to find a trail of blood splotches that led out of the broken house to the border of the fence, indicating Adrien had successfully fled. The sword clattered lightly as it dropped from his hand onto the broken floor and Hawkmoth fell to his knees. He glanced back at the painting that remained dented and torn. It continued to weep as he now did as he cursed himself and pleaded for her forgiveness. He never meant to go so far, but in his mourning he had allowed his grief to overcome him. He was angry with himself and that had turned into rage, a rage he had misdirected at the citizens of Paris. Rage that he had regrettably directed at his son- and in more ways than one. His son whom now ran from him as he bled from wounds that Gabriel himself had inflicted upon him. If Adrien died- _she_ would condemn him. Forever.

He had to find his son.

* * *

 _A/N: As always, thank you to all who continue to read and those who comment. :)_


	22. Backpedaling

_A/N: You guys are amazing! I love reading your feedback in the comments. :) Seriously, hearing from you guys always brings a smile to my face. Here's a continuation of "Choices and Consequences". Hopefully I haven't bored you yet._

* * *

 **Chapter 22: Backpedaling**

 _An injured Chat Noir is on the run from Hawkmoth. Can Ladybug find him before his father does?_

* * *

"L-adyb-ug. Help-"

The baton receiver slipped from his grasp and knees hit the rooftop out of time, a dull thud immediately followed when the remainder of his body followed suit. Green light dissolved the leather that covered the boy, reverting his clothing back to what he had been wearing before he had transformed: a black hoodie, blue jeans, and a pair of shoeless socks. The blonde haired teen let out a quiet moan, struggling to remain conscious as the black kwami hovered over his face and repeated his name, instructing him to keep his eyes open.

"Come on, kid," Plagg coaxed, pushing his ounces of weight against Adrien's cheek. "Talk to me. Can you tell me what hurts?"

Adrien whimpered in response only to be interrupted by a pain of such intensity that all of his core muscles tightened simultaneously, rendering him unable to breathe. His eyes blew wide as he wrapped his arms around his abdomen and wheezed, not hearing Plagg as he called out anxiously. Adrien writhed convulsively as he took in shallow gulps of air whereupon his body fell slack. His eyes fluttered closed as he dropped, his face coming to rest against the surface of the roof and his hands fell away from his stomach, his back rising and falling erratically as irregular breaths were taken in. Plagg darted about him urgently in an effort to look the boy over when he found blood on the fingers of his left hand. A closer look informed the kwami that the boy had a significant laceration at the right side of his abdomen just above the pelvic bone. The blood had already stained where his shirt met his pants and had started to saturate the fabric of the hoodie. A small red puddle beneath him grew slowly in size as more precious life-giving fluid drained away.

Plagg's face filled with fear as he found Adrien's life in jeopardy. He needed to find Tikki, which meant he needed to find Ladybug. The kwami's green eyes glinted in the sun as relentless tears found their way to the surface. He furiously blinked them away as he shot high into the air, scanning the city for any hint of red or akuma. He muttered impatiently to himself as he scoured for details, growing all the more upset as each second passed without result. He dragged his paws over his eyes, wiping angrily at the tears that started to fall. This should never have happened. Plagg berated himself as he decided that had he been stronger, perhaps he could have better protected Adrien. At the very least, he should have endured the detransformation to give his charge more resilience to his injuries until they found Ladybug. He scrubbed again at his face when his ears picked up on a faint hum in the distance. Turning to the side, he saw a low cloud rapidly approaching him from below becoming obvious as it rose unnaturally that it wasn't a cloud at all. A swarm of butterflies surrounded the kwami and he beat his paws angrily at them.

"I didn't think it was possible to hone in on kwami emotion," a voice said with interest, emanating from the butterfly cloud.

"Beat it, bastard," Plagg hissed, glowering at the insects as they flitted about him.

"Are you with Adrien?"

"What the _hell_ do you care?!" the kwami spat, punching a butterfly as it passed his face, watching it grouchily as it fell pitifully from the impact. "If you want him, then come and get him. I will _destroy_ _you_."

A mildly amused chuckle reached Plagg's ears and he glowered.

"Good. Stay with him. Assistance will arrive shortly."

The butterflies departed as quickly as they came, leaving a thoroughly confused and flustered Plagg in their wake. He ground his teeth before scoffing angrily and sped back down to Adrien to find the boy shivering feebly. Plagg pulled the hood up over his head and his fury died quickly as he discovered the boy's skin had become sallow. More tears pushed over his eyelids and the ghastly sight made Plagg so sick to his stomach that he couldn't stand to look any longer than half a minute. Nuzzling against the blonde instead, Plagg nestled in the crook between the boy's neck and shoulder in a sad effort to give of his warmth and cried. He didn't want to believe the notorious man had anything but evil intentions, but he couldn't bring himself to leave Adrien in such a state either. While it wasn't typically possible, he hoped that Tikki would somehow hone in on his distress. It had happened in the past on more than one occasion. Whether by intuition or their long existence together, he and Tikki had been able to find each other when one of their chosen had fallen into a position where they were unable to protect themselves. I.e. mortally wounded. Plagg just hoped that Ladybug wasn't so overwhelmed that Tikki wouldn't be able to sense their plight. All Adrien had to do in the meantime was hang on, just survive so he could recover. That was all, Plagg told Adrien as he burrowed his head against his jaw. His kitten just had to be okay.

A thump hit the roof behind Adrien to startle Plagg. Darting out from under the hoodie, the black cat appeared to find a large man towering over Adrien. The kwami hissed violently and screamed with rage as he flew up to rest an inch away from the man's misaligned nose. Crusted blood still decorated the man's face which pleased the kwami immensely, but he was still incredibly pissed.

"You've got five seconds to talk me out of blasting you to ashes."

"Can you get Adrien to the hospital?" Hawkmoth inquired skeptically, quirking an eyebrow at the kwami. The small entity scowled dirtily at Gabriel and let out a roar of frustration, throwing his paws in the air as he turned away to spare having to look at the man's face any longer. "I don't expect you to trust me," the man said simply.

"No kidding." Plagg's voice was venomous as he rolled his eyes.

"But I don't have time to argue with you either, kwami."

Plagg glared at the masked man as he added a threat, the kwami promising Gabriel he would swiftly erase him if he did _anything_ other than get Adrien help. He yelled another angry growl and dashed back into the shelter of the hood before Hawkmoth could construct a response. Gabriel blew a huff and his brow furrowed in irritation as he stared at the back of the hood, holding his breath as he anticipated the kwami's return. When Plagg didn't immediately resurface, he stooped down and picked the boy up, his lips folding uncomfortably as Adrien's pallid face tipped toward him. The boy's breathing was labored and his muscles felt strained against Gabriel's arms. Carefully, the masked man settled the blonde in his arms when he let out a soft grunt.

"Don't- father." His fragile voice cracked with anxiety. "Please-"

Hawkmoth froze at the weak mumble, glancing back at the teen's face, his rigidity only relaxing slightly upon finding Adrien was still out cold. But his words hung in the air. The stinging words biting and gnawing at Gabriel's soul as he leapt with the boy to the alley below. Thick regret saturated his being making him feel ill. Had Adrien grown to fear him to such an extent that he now haunted his dreams? He suppressed a shiver when Nathalie then came up behind him. Gabriel led her to where the alley met the main road, placing the blonde gingerly in her arms. She held him tightly, nodding solemnly at the masked man as she took to her directive. The man brushed the backs of his fingers against the boy's cheek before Nathalie departed.

"Please, live," Gabriel whispered. "Please. Live."

He watched from the shadows as his assistant took his son out into the public street to await the arrival of the of the paramedics. After Nathalie left his field of vision, Hawkmoth slunk deeper into the alley to avoid being spotted by any passers by. Wracked with guilt, he sagged with his back against a wall and clutched at the fabric above his heart. A bitter sob escaped him, shivers shaking his frame as tears flowed out uncontrollably. Placing a trembling hand against his mouth, he gasped in lament, remembering when he looked down at Adrien's anemic face as he held the teen's listless body. There was no sharing the blame, for he knew every blemish, every scratch that scarred the teen's fair skin came by his hand. And while he wished for it, Gabriel did not expect forgiveness, for no man deserved to be called father after doing what he did to his son.

* * *

A/N: Again, thanks for your continuing support. :) Don't hesitate if you have a request. I can't promise I'll come up with an idea for all requests, but I'll definitely do what I can.


	23. Exchange

**Chapter 23: Exchange**

* * *

"Plagg, Tikki- transform me!"

.

Ladybug's muffled cries sounded beside him, an indication she wasn't able to free herself either. Try as he did, even Chat hadn't managed to escape. And now, without Plagg's help, Adrien _knew_ he couldn't free himself from Mayura's hold. It didn't stop him from trying though. He pulled again unsuccessfully against the thick, rope-like vines that choked his wrists while writhing against the uncomfortably heavy, but otherwise harmless mass that sandwiched his body against the metal floor of the Eiffel Tower. It was futile. Frustrated tears crept over his lids to offer a cool relief to his burning cheeks as he continued to grind his teeth into the vine that spiraled around his head and between his lips. Through a small gap in the monster's hold could Adrien view the bright light that enveloped the man he knew as Hawkmoth. Ladybug and Chat Noir had failed.

.

" _At last, after all this time. we'll be reunited soon, my dear Emilie."_

.

The already intense light seemed to grow even brighter as the teen's dread mounted. What would become of Ladybug? Hawkmoth had succeeded. They no longer had their miraculous and the villain was unlikely to turn over such power even after his wish was obtained. Without the miraculous' power there was little they could do to defy the man in the hopes of getting their kwamis back, especially now that he held the most powerful of the jewels. Wet eyes glanced sidelong when the man's voice rang out. Adrien strained his ears for what came next. What would he wish for? Surely nothing good could come from the desires of a man so bent on obtaining power that'd he risk the lives of so many. But as Hawkmoth spoke, his voice was drowned into incoherency as a massive wind suddenly formed about them. Slamming his eyes shut, Adrien braced himself as the gale swept over him.

.

 **In behalf of the life you seek, another will be taken in exchange.**

"If that's the cost, so be it. I accept."

 **As you wish.**

.

The wind died as quickly as it had started. Hawkmoth seemed to be speaking to someone remotely as Adrien felt a shift in the binding vines. He didn't dare move and the blonde could only wonder what fate awaited him and his lady. If he was lucky- and assuming the worst, he hoped he could at least catch a glance of Ladybug before the end. His heart hurt at that. If only he could have known her identity before this happened. But with his failure to stop Hawkmoth, Adrien felt he couldn't blame her if she now hated him. His breath hitched as his chest tightened at the thought. Dull aches rapidly blossoming into the most exquisite pain, like nothing he had ever felt before, as though his chest was going to outright explode. He wanted to apologize, desperately cry out for forgiveness. But even if Mayura _were_ to release him, his breath was still caught like an over inflated balloon in his lungs about to blow him to pieces. He seized violently against the vines as his eyes blew wide and he ground his white knuckles raw against the metal beneath them. His heart felt as though it was clenched in a vice, a vice being tightened beyond the strength of the metal that formed it. It was about to burst.

.

"Detransformation."

.

It burst.

.

"Mayura, what do we do with the heroes of Paris now?"

.

Relief came suddenly. Immense pressure released all at once with a gurgle and a small popping sensation. An abbreviated breath escaped him with a whimper and warmth poured along his face, down his neck as it flowed toward his arms. Sucking in a wet breath, the soothing invisible fibers continued to extend over him, warming more of his body as they trickled down his limbs and torso. Without warning, the vines recoiled in an instant as if terror stricken, and although he had no idea why they chose now to release him, Adrien jerked with a start when he thought he heard them scream. Rolling onto his side he let out a cough, pulling his hand back to reveal the cause of such alarm. Fingers absolutely drenched with a brilliant red greeted the hero's watery gaze and Adrien thought curiously on its implications as he watched his hand drop in slow motion back onto the floor, being overrun with the black dots that crowded his vision.

.

" _Impossible!"_

.

Pounding footsteps raced over to him, but the voices that accompanied them were indiscernible from the visceral pumping that pulsed progressively more slowly against his eardrums.

.

"This wasn't what I wished for!"

 **It is what you agreed to.**

"I did not agree to sacrifice _his_ life!"

 **The consequences of the choice were predetermined by the laws that govern.**

"I demand that you put a stop this, immediately!"

 **It is now complete.**

.

Someone leaned overhead, shaking him urgently and turning his head to face them, but Adrien only managed to blink dully in response. Everything was all but black now and he was far too tired to even want to see past the fog. Was it Ladybug? More tears rolled down along the saturated numbness that had overtaken him as he hoped his heroine had forgiven him. Adrien smiled, or at least he thought he did. He wasn't quite sure now where the line lay between dream and reality.

.

"No! . . . _I refuse to accept this!_ "

.

Adrien's scarlet splattered frame drooped listlessly in a pair of arms, his head rolling side to side as dictated by the supporting limbs' movements. His breath was nearly spent as was his life giving fluid and he lay unaware, clutched tightly against the smallest trembling form. A tender kiss which he had ever yearned for brushed against his forehead before he was showered by tears. Words that came too late filled the air with the accompanying chorus of distant sirens, but they did not reach his ears. Not but a few feet away fell a thud followed by a gut wrenching howl. Sobbing, then weeping, then sobbing again. Clenched fists beating repeatedly against metal. Adrien heard none of it.

.

"But. . . I _did_ it. . . _all._ _For_. . ."

.

.

.

"Him."

* * *

 _A/N: Were you to ask me what I predict will happen if (when) Emilie is revived, I would say Adrien will be traded, even temporarily. Canonically the exchange of life won't be nearly as graphic as this scenario, for obvious reasons, but I feel like a lot of things have alluded to such an event being possible. There's a good chance I'm terribly wrong, but that's my theory._


	24. Another Man's Son

Carly the Llama: I'm terrible, I know. Thanks for commenting so regularly. c:

* * *

 **Chapter 24: Another Man's Son**

* * *

Chat's grunt caught in his throat. Were it not for the narrow lance of steel jutting through his gut he would have crumbled to his knees. As it was, however, he simply slumped forward and groped weakly at a lapel of the purple suit jacket before him in an effort to retain some illusion of control over the situation. Saliva pooled at his lower lip as his mouth hung open in muted shock, the secretions spilling down his front when he choked for another breath only to have pain cut his gasp short and render him breathless still. The clatter of his baton striking tile sounded in the background of his mind as vertigo sent his head and torso swiveling forward until he collapsed fully against Hawkmoth's chest with a soft grunt. The villain balked backward in a visceral reaction of disgust when he noticed a transfer of blood to his own suit. Slipping away in tandem, the blade exited the teen's abdomen leaving the leather clad boy to drop listlessly to the floor.

Looking between the blonde to the blood on his weapon, the man tried to recall how he had actually managed to land a strike on the agile hero in the first place. The teen in question released a wet cough followed by a belch of red, further adding to the growing puddle beneath him. Hawkmoth flinched. He hadn't meant to injure the boy so severely. Knock him about, sure. Scare the living daylights out of him? Certainly. He needed to obtain the Miraculous after all… but even in his darkest dreams he didn't ever intend to actually _kill_ his adversary. The hero's state, however, grew increasingly grim as the crimson pool expanded. Stooping down, he noticed for the first time how similar in age the boy appeared to be when compared to Adrien. Behind the mask, the blonde boy was just that: a child. A child who certainly had a parent who loved him, as he did his own son. . . his gut churned violently at the thought. This boy would surely die from his current state and leave some man bereft of his son. If that ever happened to _him_ \- to Adrien- he could never live with himself.

His brow furrowed with guilt and a shiver of mounting dread coursed through Gabriel as he watched the teen rattle with shallow, irregular breath, eyes fluttering as he fought to remain conscious. With trepidation the masked man hovered a hand over the wound, debating how much time the boy had until he bled out. Considering where they were in relation to the nearest hospital, the boy likely didn't have enough time. A ray of light glinted off the black ring on the boy's nearby hand, reminding the man he had yet to take the miraculous. He reached for it, hesitating as it occurred to him that it was probably only due to its magic that the boy had yet to stop breathing. He reluctantly withdrew, hastily recoiling before he could change his mind. Instead, he caught a butterfly from the air and trapped it gently between his palms, muttering before letting it go. The white butterfly retreated slightly and Gabriel released his transformation. A confused Nooroo rematerialized but Gabriel disregarded the kwami's unasked question and returned his attention to the teen at his knees when the butterfly touched down on his cravat. White light transformed Gabriel's white and red outfit completely white with an equally colorless mask to cover his face. Transformation complete, his steel gray eyes darted from the boy back to his newly white gloved hands. What was he doing?

His hand paused over the shuddering form of the boy- the boy who constantly got between him and his desire to return his wife to the realm of the living. This boy was just _one_ person. An individual that had no connection to him personally outside of the costume, so why didn't he just take the miraculous and forget about the teen? He'd have one less _hero_ to deal with and be one jewel closer to attaining his goal. Reaching to the ring again, his hand flinched back in miserable reluctance. Why was it so hard? With all that he had already sacrificed of his humanity to come as far as he had, one more tally to his list of misdeeds was hardly earth shattering. But the repulsion stopped him yet again. The image of Adrien flashing over the shape of the black clad hero nearly sent the man over and onto his back when the boy let out a wet choke. Bile churned his gut as Gabriel gripped the boy's shoulder with careful urgency and turned him onto his side. Allowing the injured teen's mouth the drain of the pooling blood, the blonde let out a couple of weak coughs in quick succession to paint the floor with a deeper red. Gabriel grimaced. It was absurd that he felt so compelled to help the kid. His doubts, however, were immediately put on hold when the teen vomited once more only to then fall morbidly still.

Gabriel's cry of alarm fell short as his hands impulsively darted to cover both sides of the wound. Even through the layers of leather, the boy seemed to siphon any heat Gabriel had to offer. The silver haired man shivered involuntarily at the deathly chill and bit his bottom lip in an effort to concentrate. Running his fingertips in circles, he traced along the edges of the open skin as his white light appeared to bring the damaged tissues back together. The warm light passed into the wound and worked its way outward. Laceration closed, the quick minute it took to heal the wound felt to Gabriel like he had spent an eternity focusing on the boy's abdomen. Sweat rolled down Gabriel's mask and along his jaw as he looked the boy over again to ensure the wound was completely sealed. His hand instinctively traveled up the boy's chest and rested at his sternum, but upon being unable to feel any sign of life, he quickly put his fingers to the base of the boy's neck and checked for a pulse. Letting out a muted sigh of relief when the weak thud of the teen's heartbeat relayed through his touch, a thrill ran down the man's spine when the blonde's shallow breath brushed the hair by the man's ear. The boy was alive.

Uncharacteristically enthusiastic, the silver haired man glanced up victoriously at Nooroo who hovered overhead. The violet kwami smiled softly at him, still unsure where this sudden humanity sparked from but glad for the change all the same, regardless how temporary it might prove to be. But true to form, Gabriel's smile faded abruptly as sight of the ring met his peripheral again, a shadow passing over his masked features as he gazed upon it. Surely the teen didn't need it now. The power of the butterfly miraculous had brought the boy into stability after all. Nooroo hesitantly called out to him, managing to stay Gabriel's hand for the moment as the kwami cautioned him that the boy might yet die. The man frowned at the small being whom normally he would simply disagree with and move on, but as perplexing as it was, the words to defend his intentions wouldn't come. His brow knit in frustration when a green light broke his attention away from the kwami and Gabriel found himself gazing upon his own son, laying where the cat boy had been not a moment sooner.

The older male froze at the revelation, as if paused mid speech as he noted the small black cat that had appeared alongside the teen. After that brief moment if hesitation, the man dove at the boy, hastily cradling the blonde into his arms. Blood from the floor had already seeped into the boy's clothing and coated his uncovered arms. Still matted tresses of reddened gold were plastered against the boy's pale face, making his usually thin frame appear as far from healthy as seemed physically possible. Adrien's complexion was positively ghastly. His chest barely seemed to rise and fall with each ghost of a breath he took, and his lips had lost all color apart from the red that remained crusted on them. Gabriel's mouth tightened as its corners fell heavily downward. Surroundings blurred into bright fog as he tore out of the observatory and back into the mansion. Tears which he never cried now marred all detail as they poured down his face. However, despite his lack if vision, Gabriel's feet didn't miss a beat. There was too much at stake to falter now. His power may have prevented Adrien from dying minutes ago, but the blonde was still in an extremely precarious state. There was nothing left that Gabriel could do except transfer his son's care to professionals with the right equipment. Nathalie's name tore from his lips as he came crashing to his knees on the tile of the entryway when his strength failed him. Sounds in the background of his mind indicated that his assistant had responded to his summon, but Adrien was all he could think about. His son whom he had nearly killed, saved, then possibly might have killed again- the son that could still die. He was supposed to be another man's son, not his. Anyone else's boy, anyone's _but_ his. But the fact remained that the boy he decided to save, was in fact, Adrien.

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A/N: Thanks as always for reading and commenting. I'll try and update within a shorter time frame than this last month.


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